Episode 40: One parent’s story on navigating special education services

02/01/24 • 32 min

Alison Kacer began her journey as an advocate for her son, Lucas, who was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder when he was four years old. Then, her mindset shifted from finding a fix to finding the right support system for her son.

That support system now includes Andover Elementary School special education teacher Donna Macoskey. In the latest Parent Engage 360 Podcast, Alison and Donna joined host Liz Burgard to discuss the Kacer family’s experience navigating the district’s special education services and the importance of the relationship between home and school.

Alison and her son Lucas were featured in KARE-11 journalist Boyd Huppert’s Land of 10,000 Stories, sharing Lucas’ passion for pencil sharpening. You can also learn more about Lucas and his passion by visiting his Facebook page, Pencils4lucas.

Episode highlights:

3:12 - Alison shares the story about her son Lucas’ autism diagnosis and his being featured KARE-11 journalist Boyd Huppert’s Land of 10,000 Stories, sharing Lucas’ passion for pencil sharpening.
11:30 - Alison shares her family’s experience in learning about her son’s diagnosis and how she went about seeking support.
16:33 - Donna discusses support systems that are available in schools across Anoka-Hennepin for families seeking extra support for their children, including special education services.
22:04 - Alison and Donna talked about the importance of a team approach to supporting Lucas at home and in school.

The Parent Engage 360 Podcast aims to provide parents and guardians with knowledge from experts in chemical health, mental health, internet safety and more, as well as the tools needed to support their children. Anoka-Hennepin hopes that providing timely and helpful information through the Parent Engage 360 podcast series will strengthen the bond between school and home with resources parents and guardians can use and share with others.

Episode highlights:

3:12 - Alison shares the story about her son Lucas’ autism diagnosis and his being featured KARE-11 journalist Boyd Huppert’s Land of 10,000 Stories, sharing Lucas’ passion for pencil sharpening.
11:30 - Alison shares her family’s experience in learning about her son’s diagnosis and how she went about seeking support.
16:33 - Donna discusses support systems that are available in schools across Anoka-Hennepin for families seeking extra support for their children, including special education services.
22:04 - Alison and Donna talked about the importance of a team approach to supporting Lucas at home and in school.

Previous Episode

Episode 39: You’re the Expert: How to successfully advocate for your child

Navigating the mental health system both in the medical and educational settings can be difficult or just a new experience for parents/guardians. In the latest Parent Engage 360 Podcast, Beth Lovre a family peer educator with the National Alliance of Mental Illness Minnesota (NAMI) joined host Liz Burgard to provide information for parents/guardians on the value of parent engagement and advocacy to ensure the best care and treatment for your child.

Lovre will be the guest speaker for the next Parent Engage 360 event set for Thursday, Feb. 29 at Champlin Park High School. The event, titled You’re the Expert: How to successfully advocate for your child, will provide parents and guardians with information and resources on how parents can be an advocate for their child in the doctor’s office, the mental health system and in public education settings. Learn more at ahschools.us/parentengage360.

Episode highlights:

Lovre highlights the work of NAMI Minnesota. Learn more at namimn.org.
12:51 - Lovre highlights some of the topics and resources that will be provided at the Feb. 29 Parent Engage 360 event at Champlin Park High School.
If you need immediate support, 24-hour support is available by calling or texting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
As a parent, if you are not sure where to start or just need someone to talk to, reach out to NAMI at 1-888-NAMI-HELPS (1-888-626-4435). You can also email [email protected] to get in touch with a family peer educator.