Include Me

01/12/2026

🌼 Spring is a season of growth, and so is our Spring Parent Info Series! From social skills to recreation, each month brings a new topic designed to support families through life after high school.
📅 Save these dates: 2/10 · 3/10 · 4/14 · 5/12
🔗 Register now to stay informed: www.thearcpa.org/infosession

01/09/2026

Fifty-five years ago on January 7, 1971, The Arc of Pennsylvania (then known as PARC) filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to challenge state laws that allowed schools to deny a free public education to students it deemed “ineducable”. This was the first major right-to-education suit in the U.S. We won the case with a landmark consent decree requiring schools to provide a free and appropriate public education for all students in the least restrictive environment. The suit and settlement were quickly copied by advocates in 26 other federal court cases, pressuring Congress to act and eventually leading to the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) which recently turned 50 years old.

We are proud of our organization’s part in fundamentally transforming educational rights for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This history is excellently detailed in this article: https://bit.ly/4ppqlWT

01/09/2026

The dates are set for our next Customized Employment training! Learn how to create and support fully customized jobs. Earn certification for Customized Employment and Advanced Supported Employment upon successful completion of the course. For more information and to register: https://thearcpa.org/customized-employment-course/

01/07/2026

Our Staff Spotlight for January is Nicole Meier Emery! Nicole has worked with The Arc of Pennsylvania for 5 years and has worn many hats along the way. Prior to her current role, she served as a Miracle League Coordinator, Employment Support Specialist, and Program Specialist, Mission Expansion with Best Buddies. Today, Nicole is an Include Me Program Specialist, where she partners with school districts to support the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms. She is also an ACRE Instructor, training employment support professionals across the state and country.

Nicole’s favorite part of her job is hearing from families about how inclusion in general education classrooms has positively changed their student’s life. She loves seeing students with disabilities learning and working alongside their peers as if they’ve always belonged there. Nicole is also especially passionate about training new Employment Support Specialists through The Arc of PA’s ACRE Basic Certification Course.

When she’s not working, Nicole enjoys planning trips with her husband; whether it’s a day exploring Pittsburgh, a Disney adventure (she’s been to both Disney World and Disneyland multiple times and hopes to plan a trip to an international park in the future), or a cruise. Her next adventure in 2026 is a cruise through Northern Europe. Choosing a favorite food is tough, but she says you can never go wrong with Mexican food, especially tacos.

We are thankful for all that you do for us, Nicole!

01/06/2026

Join The First Frontier Circuit’s favorite day in rodeo at the Pennsylvania Farm Show main arena on January 15 from 1:30 – 2:30 pm! The Exceptional Rodeo is a hands-on rodeo experience for children with physical and developmental disabilities, paired one-on-one with real rodeo contestants. Participants will experience the different events that are held during a pro rodeo and receive souvenirs.
Space is limited, so register now to secure your spot: https://tinyurl.com/5ec8era6

01/06/2026

Is your New Year’s resolution to learn best practices for providing Supported Employment, or to earn a Basic ACRE certification? Then sign up for our Making Employment Work training being held virtually February 18-20! Learn more here: https://thearcpa.org/training/acre-training/

01/05/2026

Do you know a student in the secondary transition process who makes and sells their own products? Here’s an opportunity at the PDE conference for them to broaden their business skills and showcase their creativity to a wider audience as a Student Shoppe vendor!

Attend one or both days:
Wednesday, February 25 from 10 AM – 5:30 PM
Thursday, February 26 from 8 AM - 4:30 PM

Hurry - must apply by this Friday, January 9 by emailing: pdeconferenceexhibitors@pattankop.net
Learn more at: https://www.pattan.net/Training/Conferences/PDE-Conference/Student-Shoppe

12/24/2025

Our office will be closed from December 25 through January 4 for the holidays. We will reopen on January 5.

Thank you to our community for continuing to fight for the rights and dignity of people with disabilities every single day. Your work matters and we are grateful to be alongside you.

Wishing everyone a joyful holiday season and a hopeful start to the new year!

12/19/2025

12/19/2025

Deadline extended! Snag a spot in this season's Disability Acceptance through Literature book studies. 8-12 year olds will read "Fish in a Tree" (facilitator Marykate says this is a favorite of hers!) Registration is open through Sunday, December 21 for this inclusive virtual program. Books will be sent out the first week of January. Sign up here! https://thearcpa.org/includeme/bookstudy/

12/19/2025

Early-Bird Registration for the 2026 Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Annual Conference Is NOW OPEN!
This annual statewide special education conference offers an opportunity to learn and engage with nationally recognized presenters and colleagues, highlighting effective skills and strategies designed to make an educational difference for ALL students. Teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, family members, and others involved in special education are encouraged to attend. But hurry – early bird discount for registration ends on December 23. A limited number of parent scholarships are available.
📅 February 25-27, 2026
📍Hershey Lodge | Hershey, PA
Register now: https://tinyurl.com/PaEdConf

12/18/2025

We are pleased to announce the dates for the first 3 Making Employment Work trainings of 2026! If your goal is to receive an ACRE certification or to learn best practices in Supported Employment and Community Participation Services, sign up here: https://thearcpa.org/training/acre-training