2019-2020 xMinds Program Year Highlights

Priority 1: Deepening parent empowerment by providing families with information and resources

• Hosted nine speakers to educate parents about a range of issues from financial planning to distance learning (Sept , Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, four in April)
• Launched our Special Education Volunteer Advocacy Team, assisting 21 families who requested support navigating special education in MCPS
• Created new online resources, including an interactive map of elementary and preschool special ed programs in MCPS, a guide to 2020 virtual summer camps, and resources to support distance learning
• Held an IEP Clinic, where parents received advice from educational consultants on their most pressing IEP questions (Oct)
• Held two small-group workshops for parents seeking support and resources (Nov. and Jan) 

Priority 2: Increasing and diversifying xMinds’ reach to Montgomery County families

• Acquired (through a grant) simultaneous translation equipment and successfully used it for the first time at our October IEP Clinic
• Added recordings of speaker events to our website, reaching hundreds of parents for whom in-person events are inaccessible (April)
• Created a new committee to focus on support for families with an non– or minimally–speaking autistic student

Priority 3: Promoting improved educational experiences for ASD students in MCPS through teacher and staff training and through advocacy concerning systemic problems

• Provided funding for 22 educators to attend a variety of trainings on inclusive education, from the Innovators in Education Conference in October to the Nest Conference in New York (August)
• Created new website resources to support general education teachers who teach classes that include autistic students
• Organized a parent panel to speak to education students at UMD about autistic students' experiences in school (Nov)

Priority 4: Preparing ASD students in Montgomery County for life

• Hosted a successful two-session self-advocacy workshop for autistic teens (February)
• Hosted a panel of young-adult autistic self-advocates who spoke to students and their parents about their life experiences and insights (May)

Priority 5: Growing our Organization

• Transitioned to a new Executive Director at the start of our fiscal year July 1, 2019
• Established a new Advisory Council, whose 11 members offer a broad range of relevant expertise and resources
• Launched our new logo (summer 2019)
• Welcomed 10 new active volunteers to our working committees
• Raised almost $50,000 from generous year-end donors and supporters of our 2019 Bike to the Beach fundraiser, as well as $1,500 from our consistent supporter, the Mizrahi Family Charitable Fund

You can see our past accomplishments in 2017-18 and 2018-19 here.