special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness.
DEAFNESS
A hearing impairment so severe that a child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.
DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY
For children from birth to age nine, the term developmental delay, as defined by each state, means a delay in one or more of the following areas: physical development, cognitive development, communication, social or emotional development; or adaptive [behavioral] development.
EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE
A condition exhibiting one or more characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.
HEARING IMPAIRMENT
An impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance but is not included under the definition of “deafness.”
TELLECTUAL DISABILITY
A significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently [at the same time] with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.
MULTIPLE DISABILITIES
This means concomitant [simultaneous] impairments (such as intellectual disabilityblindness, intellectual disabilityorthopedic impairment, etc.), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in a special education program solely for one of the impairments. The term does not include deaf-blindness.
ORTHOPEDIC IMPAIRMENT
A severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by a congenital anomaly, impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from other causes (e.g.,cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures).
OTHER HEALTH IMPAIRMENT
This includes having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment.
SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY
A disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations.
SPEECH OR LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT
A communication disorder such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
An acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.
VISUAL IMPAIRMENT INCLUDING BLINDNESS
An impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness.
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) administers the IDEA. It authorizes formula grants to states, families programs and to institutions of higher education and other non-profit organizations.
Service Dogs to the Rescue!
When you think about who would have a service dog, you probably think of a person who is visually impaired. That may be how the concept began, but today service dogs help kids with all kinds of special needs, from autism to heart conditions and ADHD.
The Americans with Disabilities Act defines service animals as “...dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional
support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.
Service dogs help support children with a number of conditions, from diabetes to epilepsy to autism. Many people are accustomed to seeing-eye dogs, or dogs that assist
people with mobility issues. But service dogs come in all shapes and sizes and can assist a much larger group of people.
A child who may not have any obvious visible disability, for instance, may very well have a service dog trained for seizure alert. The public is still adapting to seeing service dogs with children, and by and large do not realize the wide variety of tasks for which these amazing animals can be trained.
If you think your child needs a service dog, be sure to choose an accredited foundation. If you can, talk with families who have obtained dogs from the agency you’re considering.
WHAT’S
UP FOR THE HOLIDAYS?
CLEARWATER PARKS AND RECREATION (727) 562-4800
THE MARKET MARIE
Saturday, December 13th
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM 710 Court Street, Downtown Clearwater
Shop local at The Market Marie with over 85 small business owners every second Saturday in Downtown Clearwater.
Enjoy live music, delicious food, art, clothing, jewelry, henna, handmade candles, soap, pet treats, home goods and more. Event is located next to the City of Clearwater Municipal Svcs Bldg,
Parking is FREE and can be found throughout downtown. The closest parking garage is the city employee parking garage located diagonally from the field. The garage is FREE on the weekends.
REINDEER LANE
Saturday December 6th
9:30am - 12:30pm Countryside Recreation Center, 2640 Sabal Springs Dr
This holiday event includes games, prizes, crafts, photo ops, and fun for the whole family! Santa will also make an appearance. This event costs $2 with preregistration and $4 day of event. For More Info Call (727) 116-1914
SANTA’S HOLLY JOLLY BLOCK PARTY
Friday December 12th
5:30pm - 7:30pm
Ross Norton Recreation Center, 1426 S M.L.K. Jr Ave
Join them at Ross Norton Recreation Center for Santa’s Holly Jolly Block Party .For More Info Call (727) 562-4380
HO HO HOLIDAY PARTY AND HAYRIDE
Friday, December 12, 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM @ Morningside Recreation Center, 2400 Harn Blvd
Come join them for some magical, sparkling holiday spirit! Have your picture taken with Santa. Create a take home craft, win prizes playing
games, and enjoy some sweets and treats, including our hot cocoa bar. End your enchanted evening with a hayride around the neighborhood taking in all the holiday lights and decorations. Event cost $5 per person.For More Info Call (727) 562-4280
THIRD FRIDAYS AT THE LONG CENTER
Friday, November 21st 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Join the Long Center for our monthly parent’s night out! Drop your kids off for a fun night of pizza, games, and excitement. For children in Kindergarten through 8th grade. Please register by the Thursday before the event.
Cost $10 with recreation card, $11 without a recreation card. For More Info Call (727) 562-4905
DUNEDIN RECREATION
(727) 812-4530
HOLIDAY PARADE & OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS
Saturday, December 13th
3:30pm to 9:00 pm
Downtown Dunedin
Don’t miss Dunedin’s annual downtown holiday parade featuring festive floats, bands, performers, and, of course, Santa Claus! Then stay downtown for the festivities where you can enjoy live music in Pioneer Park, and activities along Main St and Broadway including horse-drawn carriage rides, ice-skating, snow slide, kids
crafts, games, face painting, s’mores, street performers and singers, and snow flurries!. Take advantage of the Free Jolley Trolley shuttle service that operate from 2:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., ensuring a hasslefree experience for attendees. For More Info Call 727-812-4530
SEMINOLE RECREATION (727) 391-8345
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA
Santa is very busy but has decided to stop by Seminole for a fun morning of pancakes, crafts and to take pictures with children. Saturday, December 20 2 Seatings: 9:00am-10:30am & 11:00am-12:30pm Located at the Parkview Room, 7464 Ridge Road $7 per person; tickets must be purchased in advance only at the Recreation Center. Includes pancake breakfast, make & take crafts, and meet & greet with Santa *Purchase your tickets early, as this event sells out.For More Info Call 727-391-8345
LARGO’S HOLIDAY LIGHTS & CARNIVAL RIDES
November 27, 2025-January 4, 2026 5pm - 10pm FREE to park and walk to the view lights, Amusement
rides $6.00 for one ride, 10 rides for $50.00. (Paid Parking on 12/6/25 for the Holiday Tree Lighting, Stroll & Market Event)
This family-friendly annual tradition presented by the City of Largo starting November 27, 2025-January 4, 2026 features a spectacular holiday light display, with more than 2.5 million dazzling LED lights.
Food, beverage and market vendors on site selling homemade items, delicious treats and eats. Dogs on a leash are welcome but must remain on the leash at all times.
Carousel:
Minimum height for ticketed rider is 36” Riders 36”-42” must have a ticketed adult rider with them
Ferris Wheel:
Minimum Height to ride alone: 56″.
This is a family ride. We do allow infants/toddlers and ticketed children from 36″ to 56″ with a responsible and ticketed adult rider and all riders must have a ticket.
Tickets are $6.00 each or 10 rides for $50.00.
All rides will end at 10:00 pm. No exceptions.
For more information call 727-587-6740 x5014.
HOLIDAY CURTAIN CALLS
AMERICAN STAGE
RAYMOND JAMES THEATRE
163 3rd Street North in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg. (727) 823-PLAY (7529)
THE MAGI by Helen R. Murray music & lyrics by Eli Pafumi October 22nd - November 16th
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening curtain is at 7:30pm
Friday and Saturday evening curtain is at 8 pm
Saturday and Sunday matinee curtain is at 3 pm
FREEFALL THEATRE
6099 Central Avenue St. Petersburg 727-498-5205
A CHRISTMAS CAROL IN CONCERT 2025
book and lyrics by Keith Ferguson music by Bruce Greer
December 7th
Wednesdays and Sundays, 2:00 pm Thursdays, 7:00 pm
Fridays and Saturdays, 8:00 pm
JOBSITE
THE
COMING IN JANUARY THE COMEDY OF ERRORS
jobsitetheater.org
For tickets go to tickets@jobsitetheater.org or call the Straz Center Box Office at 813.229.STAR
STAGEWORKS
1120 E Kennedy Blvd Tampa 813-251-8984
LATIN HISTORY FOR
MORONS
written and originally performed by John Leguizamo December 5th - 21st
EIGHT O’CLOCK THEATRE
Largo Cultural Center, 105 Central Park Drive, Largo (727) 587-6793
“CABARET” music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb book by Joe Masteroff Closes November 16th FRANCIS
WILSON PLAYHOUSE
302 Seminole Street, Clearwater 727-446-1360
by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and a book by Thomas Meehan December 4th-21st
ST PETE CITY THEATRE
4025 31st Street S, St. Petersburg 727-866-1973 “A CHRISTMAS CAROL” December 12th-21st
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2025 | 1:00–2:00 PM
In conjunction with In Caravaggio’s Light, the MFA presents a special performance by St. Pete Baroque, a dynamic local ensemble devoted to reviving the spirit, spontaneity, and emotional richness of Baroque music. This program will blend exquisite musical performance with engaging historical context, giving audiences insight into the social, cultural, and artistic currents that shaped the Baroque period. Between pieces, the musicians will offer brief reflections on the Baroque era’s aesthetic values, compositional innovations, and the musical equivalents of chiaroscuro, further connecting the music to the art on view.
Matthias Stom (Stomer), Annunciation of Samson’s Birth (detail), c. 1630-1632, Oil on canvas, Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi, Florence, Italy
NURTURING TODAY’S LEARNERS AND TOMMOROW’S LEADERS ST. PETERSBURG COLLEGIATE
