Local Malden Women Win Community Partnership Awards!

BOSTON -- The Federation for Children with Special Needs will present Malden Public Schools’ Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, Maura Solari Johnson and the Northeast Arc’s Gloria Ricardi Castillo
with 2017 Community Partnership Awards for their exemplary work on behalf of children with special needs. The awards, meant to honor individuals who have made significant impact in their communities, will be presented during the Federation’s 2017 Visions of Community conference on March 4, 2017 at the Seaport World Trade Center.

Much of Johnson's life has been devoted to special education issues. A large influence was her father's service of over thirty years as a special education teacher and administrator in the Boston Public Schools special education programs, but perhaps a bigger motivational force was the birth of Johnson's sister, Jean, in 1960. Jean had profound cognitive and medical disabilities, yet was able to spend all of her thirteen years at home with her family. In was routine, during that period, to institutionalize children with any sign of disability, so it was a brave choice that her family made.

Johnson began her career in the Boston Public Schools when special education legislation (Chapter 766) and court ordered desegregation were simultaneously implemented. Both of these events had a profound impact on her views on education and inclusion. Following in her father’s footsteps, Johnson has spent over 40 years working in special education. She has experience as a teacher in both urban and non-urban settings and at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Her current position is Assistant Superintendent of Student Services for the Malden Public Schools. In her work, Johnson has particularly enjoyed collaborating with parents and colleagues in creating and modifying programs and services to promote more inclusionary opportunities for students.

Johnson is particularly proud of her three children, all of whom are quite passionate in their volunteer efforts in special education, and two of whom are special educators.

Castillo’s journey started in Chile. As a young newlywed she moved to Massachusetts with her husband, eventually giving birth to her three children—two girls and a boy who eventually was diagnosed with autism. Gloria found it difficult to attend church with her family due to her son's sensory and behavioral issues, so she campaigned to create a special needs ministry. As a result, parents of children with special needs had the opportunity to fully participate during Sunday services while their children were in Sunday school with their typical peers.

Castillo continued her advocacy by volunteering at the Northeast Arc as a parent advisory council member. She was offered a position in the family support division, and eventually became the co-director of the Autism Support Center, her current position. As part of a small group of Latino parents who hold community leadership positions, part of her work at the Autism Support Center is to help design outreach strategies for vulnerable communities.

Castillo was also instrumental in organizing a Spanish language conference that provides training to support families that have a loved one with autism. She helped launch the successful Touch to Talk program, where children and families, having completed Northeast Arc training, receive an iPad for use as an assistive technology device. Touch to Talk has become an indispensable program for families who otherwise would not be able to access this type of intervention. The program is in place at three public schools on the North Shore, servicing 125 families and school personnel.

The Visions of Community conference provides a comprehensive day of education, workshops and networking opportunities for Massachusetts families of children with special needs. Session offerings feature topics ranging from Early Childhood Special Education to Transition Planning for young adults.

About the Federation for Children with Special Needs:

The Federation for Children with Special Needs is a nonprofit organization that advocates for quality education, strong parent participation, and access to quality healthcare services for all children, especially those with disabilities. Since its inception in 1974, the Federation for Children with Special Needs has grown from a grassroots parent group into a nationally recognized nonprofit organization that annually serves more than 40,000 families across Massachusetts. The Federation works each day to inform, educate and empower parents, providing them with the tools, resources, and opportunities that will enrich their children’s lives. The Federation ensures that Massachusetts families with the greatest needs, due not only to disabilities, but also to educational and economic disadvantages, are able to participate in their communities and that they are involved in the education and healthcare of their children. The Federation is headquartered in Boston and has offices in western Massachusetts.