Take xMinds Strategic Planning Survey ENTER TO WIN CASH, FREE EDUCATION CONSULT |
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We want to hear from you! xMinds is developing a strategic five-year plan to ensure we continue to grow and successfully advance our mission to improve education for autistic students in Montgomery County, MD. Gathering input from stakeholders is the first step in that process.
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To provide input into the future of xMinds, please take our survey here.
The survey will be online until February 21. As an incentive for completing the survey, you will be automatically entered into a raffle to win $100 or a free one-hour education consultation. Thank you for your continued support. |
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Now Available: xMinds Summer Camp Guide START PLANNING FOR SUMMER 2025! |
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It may still be frigid outside, but it’s never too early to start planning for the warmer days ahead, maybe a summer camp or program for the little ones. To help you plan, we’ve put together the xMinds Summer 2025 Camp Guide. Our guide features an extensive list of camps and programs that autistic kids and teens have enjoyed in past years – including day and overnight programs. |
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Some
camps are still finalizing their plans, so we’ll update the information
as we learn more details and hear about more offerings. Check back
throughout the winter and spring! |
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Find Warmth, Friends at February’s Open Gym CONNECT WITH OTHER ELEMENTARY AND PRESCHOOL FAMILIES |
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Finally, an outing with no need for snow boots, gloves and hats. Join us for a morning of inside family fun at our open gym meetup, Saturday, February 15, 10-11:30 a.m., at the Glen Haven Elementary School gymnasium, 10900 Inwood Avenue, Silver Spring, MD. Our free open gym meetups are geared toward families with autistic elementary and preschool students, and offer a fun way to get your kids moving on a winter day. |
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We will have balls, mats, parachutes, and other gym equipment, as well as organized children's activities. This is a great opportunity to connect with other parents of autistic children. We will provide snacks, and will have volunteers on hand to answer any questions.
Everyone is welcome, including siblings! Registration is not required, so feel free to just show up. If you would like to receive event reminders and an email if we need to postpone due to inclement weather, sign up here.
Save the date for our future open gym meetup:
Saturday, March 15, 10-11:30 a.m. at Glen Haven Elementary School
We will resume outdoor playground meetups in April, as the weather warms. |
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Love is in the Air FIND SOME ROMANCE THIS VALENTINE’S DAY |
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As parents, we might think of Valentine’s Day as bittersweet. Cute hearts and candy abound, but so do opportunities to be hurt. And as our kids get older, social relationships can get more complicated. |
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Popular culture can help offer some insights into that complicated world. One Netflix series, Love on the Spectrum, shows autistic people looking for love and navigating “the changing world of dating and relationships.” The whole family will enjoy seeing neurodivergent participants navigate the challenges and the victories along the way.
At the same time, more and more romance books have been published with autistic main characters or by authors on the spectrum. At a recent xMinds panel discussion, moderator and autistic therapist, Jennifer Glacel, recommended the romance novels of Chloe Liese and Helen Hoang, two neurodivergent authors themselves.
Hoang’s The Heart Principle is a poignant story about a young violinist who struggles with autistic burnout and finds love, not despite her quirks but because of them. And Liese’s Two Wrongs Make a Right is a fresh and funny take on Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Note: Parents may want to review these books before their child starts reading, as they may involve some adult scenes.
If your loved one is ready to take a step into the dating world or just wants to socialize, check out our "Social Scene" resources (including several local options) on the xMinds Transition to Adulthood page of www.xminds.org. |
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xMinds Weighs in on MCPS 2026 Budget CUTS TO AUTISM CLASSES FEARED |
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This year’s MCPS budget process has caused much confusion and concern, and as parents and community members, xMinds has been vocal in advocating for autistic students. Members of the xMinds Board and Policy Committee have provided feedback to MCPS officials on the budget.
“As the FY 2026 budget process commences in earnest, we implore MCPS to firmly commit that it will not engage in any reductions or reorganizations that will fundamentally alter the nature or existence of programs supporting autistic students within MCPS,” xMinds Board Member & Policy Committee Chair Dan Amodeo wrote in a letter to MCPS Superintendent Taylor and Board of Education members. |
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Advocates Call Out MD Budget Cuts LISS, DDA FUNDING IN CROSS-HAIRS |
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If you and your family receive Low Intensity Support Services (LISS), you should be watching this year’s Maryland budget process. Gov. Wes Moore’s proposed 2026 budget drew waves of concern from autism advocates as it includes elimination of the LISS Program and cuts to the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) Self-Directed Services. The LISS program serves up to 2.5K people with IDD and families a year who do not receive waiver services. At a rally in Annapolis February 3 sponsored by the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Coalition, “hundreds of people with developmental disabilities, their families and support staff, gathered at the State House on Monday evening to demand the legislature reject a proposal to cut hundreds of millions from the state agency that oversees services and financial support for the community,” according to an article in Maryland Matters. Other autism organizations also weighed in on the proposed budget cuts. In a statement January 18, the Autism Society of Maryland said it was “deeply concerned” about the budget proposal. “This statement includes $200 million in cuts to the Developmental Disabilities Administration that the Autism community, especially adults with Autism, rely on.” In his budget proposal, Moore noted that “Maryland faces a $3 billion budget gap, the result of both increased state spending and slow economic growth over the course of eight years before [Moore] took office.” What's next: between now and April, the General Assembly reviews, holds hearings, and makes decisions on the budget. Watch this space. |
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New Member of the Club
WELCOME EMILY NOHE TO THE XMINDS BOARD |
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We are excited to welcome Emily Nohe to the xMinds board. Emily has always loved learning about people and trying to understand their behavior. She graduated from Duke University as a psychology major and has applied her love for psychology to the business world as a consumer research and insights expert. Emily's career spans consumer goods, retail and hospitality on both the consulting and the corporate sides, and she is currently co-chair for her company's People with Disabilities associate resource group.
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Emily's
daughter was diagnosed with autism in 2009 and participated in early
childhood education starting at age 3 in the Chicago area. xMinds was instrumental
in providing support and access to a community of parents and
professionals when they moved to Montgomery County in 2016. Her daughter
attended three different MCPS special education programs for
elementary, middle and high school, and the family benefited immensely
from all of the xMinds people, resources and events. Emily looks
forward to continuing to help xMinds improve the educational experiences
and outcomes of students on the autism spectrum. |
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What is Pathological Demand Avoidance? WATCH XMINDS VIRTUAL EVENT WITH PDA EXPERT |
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By now, you’ve probably heard about PDA, which stands for Persistent Drive for Autonomy or originally Pathological Demand Avoidance. xMinds welcomed PDA North America Executive Director and Founder Diane Gould, LCSW to give us more information about this diagnosis.
During the virtual event, Diane explained why behavioral approaches don't work with this population and can even be counter-productive; instead, she described an alternative approach that works. Diane also included information on how educators and parents can better serve PDA students at school and explained how an accurate understanding of autism is necessary before we can fully understand PDA
Watch the video recording of the presentation in English here.
You don’t need to navigate this new diagnosis alone. Along with the video recording, we’re working on resources including parent support tools, providers and personal stories of PDA-ers, as well as recommended readings. Stay tuned for more information. |
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How to Prepare for a Successful IEP Meeting
ATTORNEY FRANCES SHEFTER OFFERS PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS |
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Education attorney and IEP specialist Frances Shefter, of Shefter Law, joined xMinds for a virtual event January 21. After a very popular presentation at our IEP clinic in November, we asked Frances to come back for a repeat performance. She gave practical advice to parent concerns and specific questions, whether they’re preparing for their first IEP meeting or their 10th. Document everything, bring your own data, but be willing to listen. It’s advice we could all stand to follow.
Watch the video recording in English here. |
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Professional Member Spotlight
As a benefit to both our families and professional members, xMinds publishes information about our professional members here in the xMindsWire as well as on our website. Inclusion does not constitute our endorsement. This month, xMinds would like to highlight the following new and renewing professional members:
Advocate Navigator LLC
Silver Spring, MD
Contact: Melissa Stein; melissastein@advocatenavigator.com
Services: Educational consulting (Grades K-5)
Advocate Navigator LLC serves familles seeking to initiate or improve Montgomery County, MD special education services for their child's academic, social-emotional and/or behavioral needs. Melissa Stein empowers parents to effectively advocate for special education that is individualized and evidence-based for their child's unique strengths and needs. We provide advocacy tools, graduate level special education expertise, and a multifaceted understanding of the MCPS special education process.Children's Speech Therapy Services
Bethesda, MD
240-600-0911; https://www.childsspeech.com/
Contact: Jennifer S. Gaum, MA, CCC-SLP, ChildsSpeech@gmail.com Services: Speech/language therapy; Social Skills therapy; Special education Pre-K; Special education K-12; General education Pre-K-12
I am a sole provider who focuses on your child's needs and involves the whole family and outside providers! I provide in-home and in-school speech-language therapy services! The Stixrud Group, LLC
8720 Georgia Ave., Suite 606, Silver Spring, MD 20910
410-227-7001;http://stixrud.com
Contact: Dr. Salya Namazi; snamazi@stixrud.com
Services: Educational Testing; Neuropsychological Testing; Educational Consulting
The Stixrud Group is a group of neuropsychologists and clinical psychologists who specialize in the evaluation of children, adolescents and adults with learning, attention, social or emotional difficulties. We are committed to the alleviation of suffering for our clients and their families by removing any blocks to their experiencing happiness and fulfillment in life. We believe this is accomplished by helping our clients understand themselves. Our goal is to use our professional knowledge and skills to help people achieve educational and professional success, emotional healing and interpersonal harmony in their relationships.
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Upcoming xMinds Events
XMINDS EVENTS, RESOURCES, & SERVICES ARE ALWAYS FREE
Wednesday, February 5 and Wednesday, March 5, 7-7:45 p.m.
Hablemos Educación Especial — Grupo de Discusión de Padres
El comité de xMinds sobre el alcance del idioma español está organizando un grupo de discusión en línea mensual en español para los padres de un estudiante autista del condado de Montgomery. Regístrese aquí.
Saturday, February 15, 10-11:30 a.m.
Elementary and Preschool Open Gym Meetup
Meet other elementary and preschool families with autistic children. Join us for indoor play at Glen Haven Elementary School in Silver Spring, MD. See the details and register here.
Monday, February 24, 7-7:45 p.m.
Small Steps Together
Online discussion group for MoCo parents/guardians of an autistic elementary or preschool child. Register here.
Wednesday, February 26, 7-7:45 p.m.
Let's Talk Transitions -- Parent Discussion Group
Online discussion group for MoCo parents of an autistic student in middle or high school. Register here. |
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Monday, March 3, 7-7:45 p.m.
People of the Global Majority Discussion Group
Online discussion group for MoCo parents/guardians of autistic children who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Register here.
Community Calendar
Our community calendar is FULL of great offerings not only from xMinds, but from professional service providers located in Montgomery County. Check out the programs and events posted on our Events Calendar.
Note: Our Events Calendar shows events on their start date, but some community programs require you to apply before the start date, so please look ahead! |
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Please consider donating to xMinds. We offer all our resources to families and educators at no cost to ensure they are accessible to everyone who needs them. Your support is essential in helping us continue this work. Every contribution makes a difference!
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