Welcome to Ups & Downs

New Book "Lightness", Now Available! TO ORDER click here.

Celebrating National Down Syndrome Awareness Week, Ups and Downs Association is launching its beautiful new book - "Lightness" Portraits and Stories of Individuals with Down Syndrome. The book is a collaboration between the Association, member families of persons with Down syndrome and Noah Fallis - a local photographer.

Noah Fallis is a renowned Commercial & Fashion Photographer. Wanting to give back to the community, and because of his association with individuals with Down syndrome, Fallis wanted to create a coffee table book that featured families who have a member with Down syndrome, believing that the beauty he seeks to portray is in every individual, regardless of their ability.

We learn and remember through pictures - across languages and cultural barriers but information is also communicated through "stories". The combination of pictures and authentic stories to inform the broader community about children and families touched by Down syndrome is both unique and powerful. It is our goal that this book will help build positive attitudes towards individuals with Down syndrome.

The book can be ordered through Ups and Downs by calling our office at 403-289-4394. Created in two different sizes, our beautiful 12"x12" hard-covered coffee table size is $100.00, while our 7"x7"version is $45.00.

Click here for information on our book in a PDF format.

Click here to order.

Board Members Needed

We are currently looking for board members to fill a variety of board positions for our 2010 board. Positions will be filled at our April 2010 Annual General Meeting. If you are interested in becoming an active member please contact the Ups & Downs office at 289-4394.

Street Meet Committee

We are looking for members to join our 2009 Street Meet Committee. If you are interested, please contact Amber Boyd at the Ups & Downs office at 289-4394.

Golf Committee

We are looking for members to join our 2010 Golf Committee. If you are interested, please contact Amber Boyd at the Ups & Downs office at 289-4394.

New Library Books

New library books are arriving daily. Come in and check them out. If you have read a book recently that you think should be included in the library, please let us know. We'd appreciate receiving a little synopsis of the book at the same time but don't let that stop you from recommending a good one!

Prizes Needed

We have been depleted of all our door prizes, silent auction items, and raffle prizes. If anyone has any new unused items that they would like to donate or knows of any companies that might like to contribute gift certificates, company products or even swag, all would be much appreciated for the upcoming 2008 year of Ups and Downs events. Contact: Amber Boyd at 403-289-4394.

Setting the Direction - Special Education Project

As a member of Ups and Downs, we thought you might be interested in voicing your opinion about how Special Education is delivered to students here in Alberta. Alberta Education has named the project: Setting the Direction.

Setting the Direction is an important project to create a new framework to ensure Alberta students with special education needs get the supports they need to be successful. Phase 1 of the project, which will last until December 31 2008, features province-wide consultations on the vision and principles that should govern our special education programming and delivery. The Alberta government is conducting public forums in 10 Alberta communities, with Calgary's being on December 11, 2009. To voice your thoughts in person or to see the dates in your community you can register on-line at: http://www.education.alberta.ca/apps/settingthedirection/default.asp .

You can also share your views by submitting an online questionnaire or by filling out a discussion guide (attached). You can find the on-line form at: http://www.education.alberta.ca/department/ipr/settingthedirection/how.aspx .

For more information on this project visit: http://education.alberta.ca/department/ipr/settingthedirection.aspx