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• Community Connect - Cottage School New Post High School - Roswell Career Academy - April 23

  • When
    Thursday, April 23, 2026
  •  
    8:30 AM - 10:30 AM
  • Location
    The Cottage School, 700 Grimes Bridge Rd Roswell, GA 30075
  • Spaces left
    9

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  The Cottage School will be hosting our April Networking at their school to discuss their NEW: 

  The NEW Roswell Career Academy – a post-high school life program for Georgia students.

  April 23, 2026

  8:30am - 10:30am 

  The Cottage School launched its Career Center at the start of the 2025–2026 school year with a new Senior Cohort and an expanded lineup of career-focused electives for high school students. Offerings include Auto Mechanics, Career Skills, Handyperson Skills, and hands-on, experiential life-skills coursework designed to help students build real-world independence.

  The response from both students and parents has been clear: these opportunities are working, and families want their adult children the continued support beyond graduation.

  To meet that need, The Cottage School is preparing to launch a new postsecondary program for the 2026–2027 school year, tentatively called the Roswell Career Academy. This yearlong program will be open to newly graduated Georgia adults with direct teaching of the skills students need to thrive in their personal lives, working lives, and social lives. Participants will receive support in finding, obtaining, and keeping a job, along with ongoing academic support - whether it’s college, tech school, or workforce training.

  GANCC members and all community partners are invited to join us for our All Community Networking event at The Cottage School to learn more about the Career Center and the upcoming Roswell Career Academy. Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the facility, meet the team, and ask questions. A light breakfast with coffee and tea will be provided by Rise Coffee + Tea.

  Bring your business cards to share! 

  Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026

  Time: 8:30am Arrival. 

  Location: The Cottage School, 700 Grimes Bridge Rd, Roswell, GA 30075

  Parking Directions and Building: When you turn onto The Cottage School's campus, follow the driveway to its end and park in one of the available spaces on your left. Once parked, look for signs directing you to the Administration Building. Enter on the main level and take the stairs down to the meeting space. 

  
  

  
  

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• NeuroConnect: Battle and Brew - Games and Dinner - May 17

  • When
    Sunday, May 17, 2026
  •  
    3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
  • Location
    5920 Roswell Rd a120, Sandy Springs, GA 30328
  • Spaces left
    24

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  NeuroConnect: Social Events for Neurodivergent Adults and Allies

  SAVE THE DATE! MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON! 

  Calling all neurodiverse adults and friends! Join us for a fun-filled afternoon of board games, card games, great food, and awesome company at BATTLE & BREW in Sandy Springs.

  We’ll have a variety of board games to play, from strategy to card games—something for everyone! Dinner and a soda are included, so come hungry and ready to game. Whether you’re a seasoned board gamer or just looking for a laid-back social night, we can’t wait to see you there!
  

  Date: Sunday, May 17, 2025
  Time: 3:00PM - 5:00PM 
  Location: Battle & Brew: 5920 Roswell Rd a120, Sandy Springs, GA 30328

  PRICING COMING SOON

  Price includes: 

  • Games with friends
  • One dinner plus one soda 

  RSVP by May 4th so we can save you a seat at the table. We are sorry but there are no refunds. 

  Looking forward to an evening of laughs, games, and great conversation!

  Please note: This price does not include video game seating at B+B.

  
  

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• Community Connect - RISE, SHINE, and BLOOM - May 20th

  • When
    Wednesday, May 20, 2026
  •  
    8:30 AM - 10:30 AM

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  What’s Possible: Rethinking Vocational Opportunities

  Presentation by Nicole DeWard of Rise Coffee & Tea

  The transition from adolescence to adulthood is often a period of significant uncertainty for families supporting individuals with autism and other developmental differences. As established educational structures conclude, a fundamental question emerges: What does a purposeful and independent adult life look like?

  Nicole DeWard, founder and owner of Rise, Shine and Bloom, presents a transformative perspective on this transition, framing it not as an abrupt change but as a deliberate, intentional process of continuous development. Leveraging her extensive experience as both a parent and a program developer, Nicole advocates moving beyond the conventional definition of vocational success. She guides families to embrace a comprehensive framework that prioritizes participation, purpose, self-confidence, and a sense of belonging.

  Attendees will be encouraged to shift from comparative standards to informed discernment, learning to identify environments where their young adult can achieve genuine, sustainable growth. The core focus redirects from prescriptive models - "What should this look like?" to practical, person-centered success - "What actually works for this individual?"

  Furthermore, Nicole will explore the pivotal role of dignity-centered support in shaping growth. She demonstrates that the quality of support within any given environment—not just the location—is critical. This approach fosters foundational confidence, which in turn serves as the essential bedrock for increasing independence over time.

  Everyone who attends will have the unique opportunity to see her philosophy in action at the event venue itself, Rise, Shine & Bloom, all her real-life businesses that embodies the principles of inclusive vocational success discussed in the presentation.

  Location: Rise Coffee & Tea 4651 Sandy Plains Rd Suite #116 Roswell, GA  

  Day: Wednesday, May 20, 2026

  Time: 8:30am - 10:30am 

  
  

  
  

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• Community Connect - Spellers of Atlanta - Tuesday June 23

  • When
    Tuesday, June 23, 2026
  •  
    8:30 AM - 10:30 AM
  • Location
    139 Village Center W Woodstock, GA 30188
  • Spaces left
    30

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  The Spellers Center of Atlanta will be hosting our June Community Connect networking to discuss: 

  The Hidden Voice: A New Lens on Nonspeaking Individuals

  June 23, 2026

  8:30am - 10:30am 

  The Spellers Method provides a transformative lifeline for nonspeaking and minimally speaking adults who may have spent decades being misunderstood due to the "consistently inconsistent" nature of motor apraxia. By reframing their challenges as a motor planning challenge rather than a cognitive deficit, this approach recognizes that many adults possess fully intact intellects trapped by an unreliable brain-body connection. Through the purposeful use of letterboards that leverage gross motor movements, these individuals can bypass the fine motor demands of speech to finally express complex thoughts, often for the first time in their lives. Grounded in the principle of Presuming Competence, this method asserts that it is never too late to provide a child, teen, or adult with the tools for autonomy and education. This challenges years of low expectations and opens a long-overdue pathway to genuine social connection and self-advocacy.
  
  This event will be held at the Spellers Atlanta Clinic in Woodstock, Georgia. Please attend in person to witness the incredible impact of this innovative, science-backed program, developed by Dr. Dana Johnson, OT. Witnessing nonspeaking adults use letterboards reveals their high level of intelligence and wit. It is a powerful, firsthand demonstration of what happens when we simply presume competence and provide the right motor support. 

  Register today to meet and ask questions of Spellers Hayes and Carter while learning more about this incredible program from Lisa.

  A light breakfast with coffee and tea will be provided by Rise Coffee + Tea.

  Bring your business cards to share! 

  Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2026

  Time: 8:30am arrival

  Location: 139 Village Center W Woodstock, GA 30188

  
  

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