Learn Effective Individualized Education Planning at the Ocean County Library 2024 Autism Resources Fair

TOMS RIVER – Individualized Education Plans ensure specialized instruction and services for students. Learn how to take an active role in them during “IEP Meetings: How to Prepare and What to Expect,” part of the Ocean County Library’s 2024 Autism Resources Fair in the OCL Toms River Branch, 11 AM Saturday, April 13.

Peg Kinsell, Director of Public Policy for Newark-based SPAN Parent Advocacy Network, will conduct the interactive workshop at 11 AM in the Library’s Bishop Building annex. Participants will learn about IEP documents, how to participate effectively, and how to address IEP issues proactively and positively.

Ms. Kinsell works on state and federal issues for SPAN and provides technical assistance for the regional Navigating Excellence – Parent Center Assistance and Collaboration Team (NE-PACT) and the national Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR).

The U.S. Air Force veteran is the director of the Military Family Support 360 Project at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst which supports military connected children and youth with disabilities and/or special healthcare needs throughout New Jersey.

Ms. Kinsell chairs the subcommittee on children and youth for the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities and holds seats on national, regional and state committees and task forces.

Please register at www.theoceancountylibrary.org/autism to reserve a seat at this free program. Workshop registrants are eligible to receive professional development certificates.

The Autism Resources Fair is sponsored by the Ocean County Library Foundation. Registration is not required to attend this free, five-hour event.

For more information, visit the Toms River Branch, 101 Washington Street, call (732) 349-6200, or keep up with new details online through the OCL Autism Resources Center.

Keep up with Library programs and events at www.theoceancountylibrary.org, and on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, and Pinterest.

Ocean County Library Announces Spring Holiday Weekend Schedule

TOMS RIVER – All branches and reading centers of the Ocean County Library will be closed Friday, March 29 and Sunday, March 31.

All OCL branches and reading centers except the Bay Head Express will observe normal operating hours Saturday, March 30.

Library patrons are welcome to use OCL’s online resources, databases, eMagazines, eBooks, video and audio streams and digital classes at www.theoceancountylibrary.org.

Keep up with Library programs and events at www.theoceancountylibrary.org, and on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, and Pinterest.

Explore School Choice Options at the Ocean County Library 2024 Autism Resources Fair

TOMS RIVER – Do you sometimes have concerns about the level of public school service offered to your autistic or developmentally-disabled youngster? Discover ways to gauge and address it during “Out-of-District Placement: How to Know When It’s Right for Your Child,” part of the Ocean County Library’s seventh Autism Resources Fair in the OCL Toms River Branch, 10 AM until 3 PM Saturday, April 13.

Parents, caregivers and educators can learn how to measure a school’s ability to serve a child’s educational, behavioral and social needs, what can be done to ensure effectiveness, ways to interact with child study teams, and how to conduct research in finding schools that most effectively meet a young student’s requirements.

The one-hour workshop in the Library’s Bishop Building annex will be conducted by John J. Mulholland, Jr., Executive Director of the Association of Schools and Agencies for the Handicapped (ASAH). The Hamilton Square-based not-for-profit is a collective of New Jersey nearly 150 schools and agencies that offer specialized services to infants, children and young adults with disabilities.

Mr. Mulholland, a Temple University graduate licensed to practice law in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, is a trustee of Advocates for Children of New Jersey. He was appointed by Governor Phil Murphy to volunteer posts on two commissions, directed the Governor’s Office on Constituent Relations and advises state legislators on law and public policy. He is active in civic affairs in Cherry Hill, where he is a Fire Commissioner.

Please register at www.theoceancountylibrary.org/autism to reserve a seat at this free program. Workshop registrants are eligible to receive professional development certificates.

The Autism Resources Fair is sponsored by the Ocean County Library Foundation. Registration is not required to attend this free, five-hour event.

For more information, visit the Toms River Branch, 101 Washington Street, call (732) 349-6200, or keep up with new details online through the OCL Autism Resources Center.

Keep up with Library programs and events at www.theoceancountylibrary.org, and on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, and Pinterest.

Ocean County Library to Present ‘Birds of the Pine Barrens’ at Three Branches

TOMS RIVER – Did you know that more than 100 species of birds inhabit the Pine Barrens for breeding, feeding, nesting and resting? Join the Pinelands Preservation Alliance for “Birds of the Pine Barrens” during April at three Ocean County Library branches.

• Stafford Branch – 2 PM Tuesday, April 9, 129 North Main Street, Manahawkin, (609) 597-3381. Please register at https://tinyurl.com/OclStaffordPPA. 
• Little Egg Harbor Branch – 2 PM Monday, April 15, 290 Mathistown Road, (609) 2294-1197. Please register at https://tinyurl.com/OclLehPPA. 
• Long Beach Island Branch – 2 PM Wednesday, April 17, 217 South Central Avenue, Surf City, (609) 494-2480. Please register at https://tinyurl.com/OclLbiPPA. 

PPA Director of Education Allison Hartman will familiarize you with the wide variety of waterfowl, raptors, and songbirds that make the Pine Barrens their permanent homes, and those that migrate through it each year.

Allison is a South Jersey native, an alumna of Stockton University’s Marine Science program and a senior fellow in the Environmental Leadership program. In addition to talks and lectures, Allison leads PPA salt marsh kayak and paddleboard tours.

Registration is required for these free programs. For more information, stop by or call a participating branch or visit www.theoceancountylibrary.org/events.

Keep up with Library programs and events at www.theoceancountylibrary.org, and on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, and Pinterest.

Build Your Money’s Muscle at the Ocean County Library Manchester Branch

MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP – Is your personal budget built for a short sprint or a long run into the future? Join Laura Reeves CFP, CRPC, owner of LJR Financial in Jackson for “Achieving Financial Fitness” at the Ocean County Library Manchester Branch, 2 PM Monday, April 15.

In this fun, interactive approach to money management, Laura will provide tools to help you arrange your finances, determine when to discard obsolete documents and how to keep your active documents organized and maintained. She’ll also offer methods to protect your valuable assets and ways to avoid becoming a victim of fraud.

Please register at  http://tinyurl.com/OclManchesterLJR for this free program. For more information, stop by the OCL Manchester Branch, 21 Colonial Drive, call (732) 657-7600, or visit www.theoceancountylibrary.org.

Keep up with Library programs and events at www.theoceancountylibrary.org, and on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, and Pinterest.

Ocean County Library Toms River Branch Presents ‘When Radio Entertained People’

TOMS RIVER – Return to the era when families gathered around the wireless set for “theater of the imagination.” The Ocean County Library Toms River Branch will host a live presentation by When Radio Entertained People (WREP), 7 PM Wednesday, April 10.

Attendees will be treated to a music and a trivia contest prior to the performance, which will feature episodes of Sorry, Wrong Number and The Day the Earth Stood Still, complete with sound effects.
 
When Radio Entertained People (WREP) has appeared at the Ocean County Library since its inception in 2008. Its 10 talented actors re-enact scripts from radio’s “Golden Age” of the 1940s and ‘50s. Michael Glenn Miller leads the cast, many of whom have performed in motion pictures, television, and professional theatre.

This program is sponsored by Friends of the Ocean County Library – Toms River. The Friends are volunteers who support the Library as a community resource through fundraising and programs. New members are always welcome. Membership forms are available at all branches, or at www.theoceancountylibrary.org/oclfriends.
 
Please register at https://tinyurl.com/OclTrWREP for this free program. For more information visit the OCL Toms River Branch, 101 Washington Street, or call 732-349-6200.

Keep up with Library programs and events at www.theoceancountylibrary.org, and on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, and Pinterest.

Learn Estate Planning Guidelines at the Ocean County Library Jackson Branch

JACKSON TOWNSHIP – Organizing one’s assets in the present will help beneficiaries to navigate financial and legal matters in the future. Become familiar with the process during “Estate Planning, Wills and Probate” at the Ocean County Library Jackson Branch, 2:30 PM Wednesday, April 10.

Attorney and retired Superior Court Judge Daniel D’Alessandro of the New Jersey State Bar Foundation (NJSBF) will offer an overview of planning the dispersal of assets, stipulations to consider in writing wills and the probate process.

Prior to his judicial appointment, Daniel D’Alessandro devoted 35 years to trial and transactional matters, family, probate and civil mediation and arbitration.

Founded in 1958, NJSBF fosters knowledge of New Jersey’s legal system among state residents, serves as a public resource center for law-related education, encourages interaction between attorneys and residents, and fosters pride in the legal profession.

Please register at https://tinyurl.com/OclJacksonEstate for this free program. For more information, stop by the OCL Jackson Branch, 2 Jackson Drive, call (732) 928-4400 or visit www.theoceancountylibrary.org/events.

Keep up with Library programs and events at www.theoceancountylibrary.org, and on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, and Pinterest.

Friends’ Fundraising Psychic Night Returns to Ocean County Library Berkeley Branch

BERKELEY TOWNSHIP – Wondering what life has in store? Have questions about your relationships, career, or prospects? The Friends of the Berkeley Library welcome you to their fundraising Psychic Night at the Ocean County Library Berkeley Branch, 4 PM to 8 PM Thursday, April 11.

Kasandra, Kirsten, and Bella will provide 15-minute consultations by appointment. Please register at the OCL Berkeley Branch, 30 Station Road, Bayville, (732) 269-2144.

Born with the veil of a psychic that is believed to bestow hidden knowledge and spiritual purpose, Kasandra has over 60 years of professional reading experience. She answers questions in her monthly “Ask Kasandra” column in the Ocean County Journal.

Kirsten’s readings focus on aligning and advising in the four directions of emotional fulfilment, mental clarity, physical and financial health and karmic work or passions. She is also an astrologer, aroma therapist, yoga teacher, and entrepreneur.

Bella reads the Gypsy Witch Oracle deck created by noted French psychic Madame Leornamond and first printed in 1904. Many oracle decks today are based on this model.

The program is for entertainment purposes only. Proceeds of each $30, donation-based, 15-minute consultation will help support the Friends of the Berkeley Library.

The Friends are volunteers who support the Library through programs and donations. New members are always welcome. Membership forms are available at all OCL branches and reading centers and the OCL website.

Keep up with Library programs and events at www.theoceancountylibrary.org, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Spotify, and Pinterest.

See the World through Alice Roosevelt’s Eyes at Ocean County Library Stafford Branch

STAFFORD TOWNSHIP – As President Theodore Roosevelt’s oldest daughter, Alice Roosevelt had a ringside seat for America’s entry onto the world stage. The American Historical Theatre’s Kim Hanley will portray this outspoken, fascinating figure in a Friends Adventure at the Ocean County Library Stafford Branch, 10 AM Thursday, April 11.

Experience life during one of the most exciting chapters of United States history, from the perspective of the fiercely independent trendsetter often known as “Princess Alice.” Opening her picture album, she offers glimpses into defining moments, adventures and adventurers, the famous and infamous, triumphs and tragedies in the U.S. and abroad.

Actor-singer-dancer Kim Hanley first appeared for AHT as Abigail Adams in 1997 and has since expanded her retinue to include more than 15 figures from the 1700s to the 1900s including Betsy Ross, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Annie Oakley and Grace Coolidge.

Please register at https://bit.ly/OclAhtStafford for this free program, sponsored by Friends of the Stafford Library. The Friends are volunteers who support the Library through programs, fundraising and advocacy. New members are always welcome. Applications are at all OCL branches and at https://www.theoceancountylibrary.org/oclfriends.

For more information, stop by the OCL Stafford Branch, 129 North Main Street, Manahawkin, call (609) 597-3381, or visit www.theoceancountylibrary.org/events.

Keep up with Library programs and events at www.theoceancountylibrary.org, and on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, and Pinterest.

Learn While You Play! ‘Heart Health Bingo,’ Ocean County Library Long Beach Island Branch

SURF CITY – Games are fun, but don’t play around with your heart. Have an entertaining and educational time during “Heart Health Bingo” in the Ocean County Library Long Beach Island Branch, 1 PM Thursday, April 11.

Watch your cards and place your markers while members of the Long Beach Island Health Department color the conversation with important topics to help you achieve and maintain a healthy heart.

The Long Beach Island Health Department serves Long Beach Township, Surf City, Ship Bottom, Beach Haven, Harvey Cedars and Barnegat Light with water monitoring, food service inspections, health alerts and information, vaccines, and public health policy development.

Please register at http://tinyurl.com/OclLbiBingo for this free program. For more information, stop by the OCL Long Beach Island Branch, 217 South Central Avenue, Surf City, visit www.theoceancountylibrary.org/events, or call (609) 494-2480.

Keep up with Library programs and events at www.theoceancountylibrary.org, and on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, and Pinterest.