September 2025
“Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness.”
~James Thurber
Welcome to September’s edition of the Buzz from the Hub! By the time this issue of the Buzz lands in your inbox, a new school year will be underway. Many families will be adjusting from the laid-back days of summer to the structure of earlier bedtimes, packed lunches, and busy mornings. In this month’s newsletter, we’re sharing resources to help ease that transition and support families as they prepare for the year ahead. Here’s what you’ll find in this issue:
- PBS KIDS for Parents – Back to School page,
- inclusive early childhood education podcast series,
- resources for families new to special education,
- youth voices on workplace accommodations, and
- practical parenting tools from the Thriving Kids Podcast
Last, but not least, check out the virtual event scheduled in September in the Upcoming Events section.
Best wishes and happy reading,
The CPIR Team
Featured Resource!
Back to School | PBS KIDS for Parents
Help kids get ready for school! The PBS Parents “Back to School” page offers guidance to help families ease the transition into the school year. The page addresses key topics like managing back-to-school anxiety, establishing consistent routines, and handling common school-related challenges.
Explore all the resources on the page here.
Shareable Resources
Early Childhood |
Transforming Inclusive Education Through Inclusion Indicators
The Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) partnered with Think Inclusive and the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education (MCIE) to bring a series of episodes on the inclusion of children with disabilities in early childhood settings.
Listen to their latest episode, Transforming Inclusive Education Through Inclusion Indicators, here.
Education |
New to Special Education? Start here!
This resource page from PEATC, the Parent Training and Information (PTI) center in Virginia, offers resources and support for families navigating the special education system. It includes guides, templates, fact sheets, and tools to help parents understand evaluations, IEPs, 504 Plans, and their rights under the law. Some of the resources and information are specific to state of Virginia.
Access all the resources here.
For your state specific information, contact the PTI that serves your state. Search for the PTI here.
Youth |
Thriving Kids Podcast
The Thriving Kids Podcast by the Child Mind Institute and hosted by Dr. Dave Anderson, clinical psychologist and expert in children’s mental health, delivers practical tools, clear answers, and real talk for the toughest parenting questions. Every episode breaks down the challenges of raising kids today-whether its anxiety, behavior struggles, or big emotions—with evidence-based advice and zero judgment.
Listen to their latest podcast episode, How to Support Your Teen Through the Tough Years, here.
Young Adults |
In My Shoes – Youth Point of View on Workplace Accommodations
This 2-page handout by PTI Nebraska shares young adults’ perspectives on workplace accommodations and why accommodations matter. It also shares how the young adults used the resources from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) to help them explore different accommodations.
Parent Leadership |
The Power of Validation to Improve Meetings
Good parenting means being supportive without being enabling. But it can often be hard to tell the difference. This is especially true when a child is struggling with a mental health or learning issue. This article, from the Child Mind Institute, helps parents distinguish between supporting and enabling a child with learning or emotional challenges.
Upcoming Events
REAL Transition Partners Webinar: Transportation Solutions for Community Engagement and Employment
Join David Hoff, with the Institute for Community Inclusion at UMass Boston, for this “Lunchtime Learning” webinar. Topics that will be discussed on this webinar include:
- The critical importance of developing transportation skills, starting at an early age.
- Understanding the importance of partnering with transportation resources and experts to address transportation needs.
- The systematic approach to identifying transportation options on an individual basis using a person -centered approach.
- Develop understanding of strategies to expand transportation options on a systems basis through partnerships.
Date: September 18, 2025
Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm ET
Looking for more events? Check out
the Hub Central Event Calendar
This e-Newsletter from the CPIR is copyright-free. We encourage you to share it with others. Scan our QR Code or click here to sign up to receive the Buzz from the Hub!
Publication of this e-Newsletter is made possible through Cooperative Agreement H328R230009 between OSEP and the SPAN Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN). The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government or by the Center for Parent Information and Resources.
