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Special Education Parents Accessing Resources and Knowledge (SPARK) is a committee of the Northwest Suburban Council of PTA/PTSA, which serves families of children with special needs in District 15.

SPARK was formed in response to the growing needs of families whose children learn differently or have special needs. It is comprised of parents who are trying to navigate the special education system who have realized the importance of networking with families of other special needs children and sharing resources related to special education.

SPARK has representatives at each District 15 school, and it holds free monthly programs that feature outside speakers.

This month, SPARK will meet on Monday, September 20, from 7-8:30 p.m. at Walter R. Sundling Junior High, 1100 N. Smith Street in Palatine. All parents, educators, and administrators are encouraged to attend.

The evening's program is titled "Give Your Child with a Disability a Secure and Happy Future," and it will be presented by Mark Russell, a Palatine attorney and author. Mr. Russell is widely acclaimed and nationally recognized for his expertise in estate planning for children with disabilities and their families. He grew up with an older brother who was diagnosed with both an intellectual disability and a bipolar disorder, and sharing his brother's struggles and triumphs has defined his career and his life. In 1983, Mr. Russell wrote Planning for the Future: Providing a Meaningful Life for a Child with a Disability After Your Death. It was the first book in the country on special needs trusts and "future planning" for parents who have a child with a disability.

For a list of SPARK's events scheduled for the 2010-11 school year, visit http://www.ccsd15.net/AboutDistrict15/CommunityInvolvement/PTA/HTML/Events.html#SPARK. For more information, contact Ani Erickson, SPARK chair, at 847-907-4732.