Susan Traugh

February is “Eating Disorder Awareness Month” and a good time for teachers of special needs teens to provide their students with the information they need to make healthy eating choices and be aware when troubled eating patterns arise. Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses with some of the highest overall mortality rates of any mental illness. And, teens are especially susceptible. But, with early intervention, help can be found. Get the Facts on Eating Disorders Acco

It can be difficult for young people to afford clothes for their first interviews and jobs. February’s Secondhand Wardrobe Awareness Month is a wonderful time to help students learn about the advantages of shopping secondhand. Style on a Dime Thrifters, or people who regularly shop at thrift stores, know that real deals can be made by shopping secondhand. In fact, they say that thrift-shopping saves shoppers about 90% of an items new, retail price on a regular basis. When stu

Valentine’s Day is also National Condom Day. Clearly, somebody had a sense of humor—and a good idea—since 50% of the pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned. Fifty percent. And, while discussing condom use with teens with special needs may be a difficult or uncomfortable topic, federal mandates for transition services for teens with special needs requires that we educate our students on matters of sexuality. Why Condoms? The truth is, any comprehensive sexual education program

When the world is good, our students receive many random acts of kindness. People may reach for things that are out of reach. Or, they might alter a game to accommodate our student’s needs. They might go out of their way to include our kids in their activities. And, that is good. However, we can also help our students feel the empowerment that comes from being the giver of a random act of kindness and there is no better time to do that than during this month’s National Random