Welcome to our November Newsletter!
We hope you are enjoying the changing colors of the leaves and getting ready for Thanksgiving gatherings with your loved ones.
In this issue:
- ExerSHINEkids Bootcamp
- Parent-Teacher Conferences – Being Partners In Education
- Executive Functioning Support
- Infant Feeding Services
- Thanksgiving Tips for your Picky Eater
- Insurance Reverifications/Financial Agreements for 2025
- Golds Gym Special for SOTH Families
- Speech Eval Promotion
- Developmental Screenings
- Milestone checklist
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ExerSHINEkids Bootcamp
Improve Your Child’s Strength, Focus, Skills & Confidence
We are excited to announce Skills on the Hill is launching a BRAND NEW program in December:ExerSHINE Kids Power Bootcamp.
This program is an evidence-based thematic program that uses intense physical exercise to improve strength and self-regulation in children.
ExerSHINEkids Bootcamp Program is designed to promote core strengthening, motor planning and balance, building skills with accuracy and working on attention, focus and turn taking. The slower pace, additional support and smaller class size allows for more individual attention to focus on motor skill, social skill development and focus. Peers work together as a team to complete group physical challenges and obstacle courses, and of course have fun! We encourage children to find their inner strength and be proud of their accomplishments!
Weekly classes are highly structured, thematic, and adult-guided to practice focus, concentration, listening skills, peer cooperation and social skills. The program occurs once a week for 8-weeks and classes are 45 minutes in length.
Each class focuses on:
- strengthening exercises with focus on proper form
- self regulation strategies with explanation and practice
- group activities and challenges
- organic support for peer cooperative skills
- at home practice activities
- obstacle courses
Ages: 6-11 year olds
Time: 5:00-5:45pm
Dates: THURSDAYS 12/12-2/6; makeup session 2/13
Location: SOTH VA Office (suite 121)
Cost: $480 for 8 sessions/child
Instructor: Miss Kristen
8 weeks, 45/min/week
| Parent-Teacher Conferences – Being Partners In Education Parent-teacher conferences are an opportunity to strengthen the connection between home and school. Here are tips to help you make the most of this important time: |
Parent-teacher conferences are more than meetings—they’re opportunities to work as a team to support your child’s potential. By staying engaged, asking questions, and acting on recommendations, you’re building a stronger foundation for your child’s success. If your child’s teacher recommends an evaluation for occupational, physical, or speech-language therapy – Skills on the Hill is here to help! Our Benefits Team will contact your insurance and our Intake Coordinator will get your child scheduled as soon as possible.
Click here to get started today!
Before the Conference
1. Prepare Questions: Think about what you want to learn about your child’s academic and social progress. Examples:
“How does my child interact with peers?”
“Are there specific areas where they could use extra support?”
2. Share Insights: Be ready to share information about your child’s strengths, challenges, or any changes at home that might affect their learning.
During the Conference
1. Collaborate, Don’t Confront: Approach the conversation as a partnership to support your child’s growth.
2. Focus on Growth: Celebrate progress and discuss strategies for areas needing improvement.
3. Ask for Examples: If your child struggles in a subject, ask to see work samples to better understand their challenges
After the Conference
1. Talk to Your Child: Share positive feedback and discuss any action steps, framing the conversation to encourage and motivate them.
2. Follow Through: Implement any strategies or recommendations, such as creating a homework routine or seeking additional support if needed.
3. Stay Connected: Keep lines of communication open with the teacher throughout the year to track progress and address concerns early.
Empowerment Through Evaluations and Early Intervention
If a teacher suggests an evaluation to better understand your child’s needs, it’s okay to feel uncertain, but remember: early identification is key. Whether it’s academic challenges, speech and language concerns, or social-emotional development, evaluations provide critical insights to help your child succeed.
- Be Proactive: Evaluations can identify supports that ensure your child doesn’t fall behind.
- Ask Questions: Understand why the evaluation is being recommended and how the results will be used.
- Act Early: The earlier challenges are identified, the more effective interventions can be, boosting your child’s confidence and long-term outcomes.
If you would like to schedule an Organization Station consult,
Executive Functioning Support
Being a kid is hard work! There are a different set of expectations with regard to daily routines across ages. We see a big shift between elementary to middle school and then again between middle school and high school. Oftentimes, children are so used to being directed and cued by the adults in their lives and sometimes struggle when they need to start managing things on their own.
Executive functioning skills are important to develop and continue to build so children know what they need to do, how they are going to do it, and then how to adapt and adjust when the plan is not working. At Skills on the Hill, we like to tell children that the frontal lobe of their brains is sort of like a “chief executive” or “president” that helps them figure out what to do all day long from the moment they wake up in the morning all the way to bedtime.
Skills on the Hill’s Organization Station program supports children in developing their executive functioning skills so that they can become as independent as possible in daily life. Our team has assembled a program that combines strengthening self-awareness through use of self-report questionnaires, parent questionnaires, and trialing different strategies depending on each child’s unique areas of strength. Visual schedules and checklists may work for one individual, while timers and to-do lists can work for another. We focus on the whole child, across settings, and instruct parents in balancing how to scaffold support to build independence.If you notice your child is having difficulties with executive functioning or your child’s teacher has shared concerns in this area, Skills on the Hill can help! Organization Station is a consultative service performed during our designated morning appointment slots. The child and parent attend an initial session together, a customized plan is developed, and then three other sessions are scheduled (based on availability) to monitor progress, suggest adaptations, and make other recommendations as needed. Please note, Organization Station services cannot be billed to insurance.
Infant Feeding Services
Did you know Skills on the Hill offers feeding support services to parents with infants?
Jennifer Coyne is now a certified lactation consultant and she has years of experiences working with children who experience feeding challenges. Her special training encompasses infants that feed by both breast and bottle and skills required to transition to eating solids.
Does Your Infant Need a Feeding Evaluation? Feeding challenges can affect your baby’s growth, comfort, and development. Use this quick checklist to identify signs that your infant might benefit from a professional feeding evaluation:
Feeding Mechanics
1. Trouble latching during breastfeeding or bottle feeding.
2. Weak or inconsistent sucking patterns.
⚖️ Growth Concerns
Slow or poor weight gain.
⏳Feeding Duration
Regular feeding sessions lasting longer than 30 minutes.
😢Discomfort While Feeding
1. Crying, arching back, or pulling away during feeds.
2. Frequent coughing, choking, or gagging.
💦Milk Leakage
Excessive milk dribbling or spillage during feeding.
🤮Vomiting or Spitting Up
Frequent spitting up or signs of reflux discomfort.
🥄Transitioning to Solids (Older Infants)
Gagging, choking, or refusal to eat textured foods.
⚡️Low Energy or Coordination Issues
1. Appears too tired to eat effectively.
2. Difficulty coordinating sucking, swallowing, and breathing.
💭Parent Intuition
Feeding feels stressful or something just doesn’t seem right.
🤔What to Do Next?
If you notice one or more of these signs, don’t wait! Contact us to get your infant scheduled for an appointment. Early intervention can lead to happier, healthier feeding for your little one.
Thanksgiving Tips for Families with Picky Eaters
For children who stick to a select group of foods, Thanksgiving dinner can feel overwhelming—and stressful for parents too! These tips will help keep the focus on family and fun, not food battles:
🌟 Manage Expectations
- It’s okay if your child doesn’t try every dish. Focus on small wins, like sitting with the family or tasting one new food.
🍞 Include Their Favorites
- Add some of their go-to foods to the menu. Having something familiar on their plate can make the meal less intimidating.
🥄 Keep New Foods Low Pressure
- Offer a “try-it” portion of new dishes, but don’t force them to eat. Let curiosity lead the way!
🍽 Build a “Safe Plate”
- Let your child choose their plate (or help them create one) with foods they’re comfortable with.
🍪 Prepare Together
- Involve your child in cooking or setting the table. Familiarity with ingredients can make new dishes feel less scary.
🤗 Focus on Fun, Not Food
- Highlight what makes Thanksgiving special: family time, traditions, and gratitude—not just what’s on the table.
📣 Talk to Family Members
- Share your child’s needs ahead of time to avoid unhelpful comments or pressure at the table.
🛠 Have a Backup Plan
- Pack a snack or meal you know your child will eat if the menu feels overwhelming.
💡 Parent Tip: Celebrate the small wins! Whether they try something new or just sit happily at the table, every step counts.This Thanksgiving, let go of mealtime stress and enjoy the moments that matter most.
Insurance Reverifications/Financial Agreements for 2025
All current and new families – a new year means updated Financial Agreements. Please be on the lookout for your 2025 document and be sure to review and sign it quickly so as to not impact continuity of services for your child. Our Benefits Verification Team will be sending you your Financial Agreement that can be electronically signed. We thank you in advance for keeping your eyes open for this in your email!
Golds Gym Special for SOTH Families & Community Partners
As the new year approaches, a common goal that people set for themselves is to improve their health and set wellness goals. We are partnering with Gold’s Gym and they have asked us to let you all know of a special promotion they are offering to SOTH Friends. If you would like a free pass to try out any DMV Gold’s Gym facility, email Jeev below and he will provide you with a special pass.
Chirjeev “Jeev” Sawhney
Corporate Sales Manager
GOLD’S GYM | DC Metro – DC, MD, VA
11830 Sunrise Valley Drive | Reston, VA 20191
C: 571.217.9342
Developmental Screening Options at SOTH
Did you know we have two options for parents and caregivers to take advantage of if you suspect your child might be experiencing developmental challenges?
#1 Complete our online Developmental Milestone Checklist
Answer questions about your child’s skills in four areas. Recommendations for activities to try at home are provided throughout each area. Check back in to monitor progress. You can always reach out for advice if you become concerned and want an in-person evaluation. Click Here!
#2 Sign up for a Developmental Screening, in-person, at one of our offices
.They are offered on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month. One of our therapists will meet with you and your child and informally observe your areas of concern. These might include but are not limited to: fine motor skills, writing, walking or gross motor skills, speech and language skills, feeding skills, self-regulation, and attention. After the screening, the therapist will give you an idea of how your child is performing and recommend things for you to try at home or specific type(s) evaluations or services that might be warranted to further assess challenges. Click Here!
SOTH IS 20 YEARS OLD!!!
Thanks to all our friends that joined us last month at Clemyjontri Park. Here are some pictures from the fun event!
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