Igniting a Child's Potential!
Hi! I’m Nicole Santiago, M. Ed, learning specialist and founder of Family ADDventures Advocacy.
My eldest son had dark circles under his eyes for most of his elementary school career.
He absolutely hated school and his eyes would tear up every morning before we left. I was an educator myself so it broke my heart to see him suffer. We attended multiple ARD/IEP meetings and every time the school would tell me he didn’t qualify for services. But I knew there was something they were missing. I cried after many ARD meetings as a younger mom.
In 2014, we paid out of pocket for neuropsychological testing. I finally got the school on board and my son received accommodations. But he lost years of support.
Fast forward 6 years and I now advocate HARD for families with kids like mine. I know the educational rights your child has and how to request appropriate services. My advocacy and ed therapy work stems from 12 years as a classroom teacher where I advocated to keep neurodivergent students supported in my general education classroom.
In my last two years as a teacher, I instituted the Lives in the Balance Collaborative Problem Solving Method of discipline (developed by Dr. Ross Greene). It helped me teach high school/middle school Spanish classes without using grades. I’ve also completed 40+ credits beyond my master’s degree toward certification in educational therapy.
I completed my advocacy training through COPAA.org (Level 1). I also completed the Special Education Summit Certificate through St. Mary’s University Law School. I’m a member of A Day In Our Shoes Advocacy Academy, COPAA-the Coalition of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, as well as TOPAA, the Texas version.
It is my purpose to advocate for and support children with big, beautiful brains and nervous systems! Our company mission is to build self-confidence for your child, at home, and at school. We work with the school team and your child and will accommodate any learning environment (online, home school, public classroom, or private). We can’t wait to start working with you!
Igniting a Child's Potential! 