Expanding Community Impact Beyond In-Person Events

In this episode, Aleia, Courtney and Kelly reflect on how creating on-demand audio content can broaden community impact compared to hosting in-person events, which many people struggle to attend. They emphasize that allowing people to listen whenever they have time makes the effort more accessible and potentially more meaningful, and they express gratitude for having made this format available.

00:00 Broader Community Impact

01:22 Challenges Attending Events

01:29 On-Demand Listening Benefits

01:36 Gratitude and Wrap-Up

In this episode, host Meredith is joined by board members Aleia, Courtney, and first-time guest Elissa for an honest, heartfelt conversation about BASE — Douglas County's Before and After School Enrichment program — and the unique challenges it presents for families of children with special needs.

Elissa shares her family's personal journey navigating BASE with her son, who has diagnoses of ADHD and autism. From referral systems and dismissals to creative childcare patchwork, her story will resonate with any parent who has ever felt like the system just can't keep up with their kid.

What We Cover

• BASE & Section 504: BASE is part of the school district and must follow 504 law — meaning your child's 504 accommodations (quiet spaces, visual schedules, sensory tools) still apply after 3:30 PM.
• The Referral System: How Douglas County's referral policy works, what happens after a child is excused from the program, and why being dismissed from one BASE means dismissal from all BASE programs district-wide.
• Strategies That Help: Re-entry meetings, step-wised re-entry plans, identifying behavioral triggers, and bringing sensory tools from home (chewies, weighted blankets).
• Summer Childcare: The real cost and challenge of finding reliable, specialized summer care — and why hiring a babysitter familiar with special needs can make or break a summer.
• Resources You May Not Know About: Colorado's Family Leave Law (12 weeks of paid intermittent leave), Developmental Pathways respite funding, and how to ask about these options early.
• The Emotional Load: Aleia powerfully reflects on the "hustle that never stops" — the pins-and-needles stress of prepping BASE staff, building relationships, and waiting for the next incident. You are not alone.

Key Takeaways

• Register early and have a conversation with BASE staff before the school year begins.
• Use every referral as a reset point — ask what's working and what needs to change.
• Colorado's Paid Family & Medical Leave can be used for intermittent leave when BASE doesn't work out.
• If your child has been told they're "not a good fit," you are not failing. The system hasn't caught up yet.

Connect With Us

🌐 dcseac.org 📧 info@dcseac.org 📱 Follow us on social media

If this episode resonated with you, please like, share, and follow — and send us your resources so we can keep the conversation going!

May Madness: Surviving End-of-Year Overwhelm for Special Needs Families

Aleia Mastroianni and DCSEAC board members Kelly Mayr and Courtney Nangle discuss why May feels especially overwhelming for families raising children with disabilities, describing end-of-year scheduling crushes (testing, concerts, prom, graduations), IEP renewals, and teacher appreciation pressures compounded by social media expectations and the many staff and providers supporting IEP students. They note student and parent burnout can trigger increased behaviors, school refusal, and dysregulation, and that planning summer activities can add stress for autistic, anxious, or OCD-affected kids. The group emphasizes transition uncertainty and recommends requesting transition meetings, visiting new schools, and starting planning early. Coping strategies include tailoring support to each child, giving parents grace (simpler meals, more screen time), limiting overbooking, communicating “it’s okay,” leaning on other parents, and acknowledging summer can be difficult due to loss of structure and fears of regression.

00:00 May Madness Begins

01:13 Why May Feels Unbearable

03:07 Kids Burnout And Behaviors

05:49 Teacher Gifts And Pressure

08:20 Transition Season And IEPs

11:19 Making Transition Meetings Work

15:19 May Survival Tips

19:00 Summer Stress And Regression

22:51 You Are Not Alone

The iconic Holderness Family Music video about "Maycember"

https://youtu.be/S8_IszUUAkw?si=XyINGdGfcruIXWiZ