Georgetown SEPAC Fall 2015 Letter & Meeting Schedule

Georgetown Special Education Parents Advisory Council Introductory Letter and 2015-2016 Meeting Schedule Welcome to the PAC! Dear Parents and Guardians: Each school year, the Georgetown Special Education Parent Advisory Council (the PAC) reaches out to families of students with special needs in the Georgetown Public Schools. We understand that the new school year is a time of transition. It can also be a time of uncertainty, anxiety, stress and also excitement. We hope that your children adjust to their new teachers, support staff, class-mates and classroom routines. SEPAC is very excited about this new academic year and has identified 2 primary goals: 1) to expand our network of parent participants; and 2) to work on transparency consistency within our District. We invite you to join the PAC, get to know new families, attend our information forums, and participate in local community-building activities for parents. PLEASE NOTE: If you would like your email address added to the PAC email address list, from which all future Georgetown PAC communications will come, please let us know at georgetown.spedpac@yahoo.com. If at any time you wish to unsubscribe from that list, simply email back your wish to do so. What is the SEPAC? The PAC is a mandated organization under the current Massachusetts Special Education Regulations and is tasked with “advising the district on matters that pertain to the education and safety of students with disabilities; meeting regularly with school officials to participate in the planning, development, and evaluation of the school district's special education programs.” (Pursuant to 603 CMR §28.07(4)) The PAC is a group of parents and care providers dedicated to providing the community with information specifically targeted to the educational development of children with special needs. We are also a support network and sounding board for families of children with special needs. We work together to facilitate communications between families and the administrators and staff members of the Georgetown Public Schools. PAC Chairperson 1 Georgetown SEPAC Fall 2015 Shelby Walker, Esq................................................................ (H) 978.352.2072 (C) 978.270.6447 (georgetown.spedpac@yahoo.com) What We Do:  Promote a network of parents of children with special needs and provide a forum to share information, and discuss matters of common concern and interest.  Meet regularly with the Director of Special Education, the Superintendent of Schools and other appropriate school personnel as needed, to participate in matters pertaining to the education, health and safety of special needs students. This includes participating in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of special education programs.  Promote communication among families with special needs students and the Georgetown Public Schools.  Provide informational forums to parents, students, educators and other professionals involved with children with special needs.  Promote communications and programs within the community to encourage understanding, acceptance, and inclusion of children with special needs.  Communicate with local, state, and national organizations, as well as councils/groups that support children with special needs. How do I know if SEPAC can help me? If your child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), or a 504 accommodation plan, if your child is struggling with academic, social, behavioral, physical or medical challenges or if you're concerned about your child and don't know where else to turn, SEPAC is for you. We encourage parent participation from all interested community members. Meetings We have scheduled meetings on either the second or third Tuesday of the month, alternating morning and evening meetings to accommodate different schedules. Our morning meetings are held on the in either the Main Office Conference Room (1st Floor) from 9:00 to 10:00 AM, while our evening meetings are in the Library from 7:00 to 8:00 PM, at Penn Brook School (68 Elm Street) unless otherwise noted. The schedule for the year is as follows: September 15th: SEPAC Meet & Greet. Our first meeting of the year will feature Dr. Donna Straight, Ed.D., our Director of Special Education. Dr. Straight and other members of the Special Education Department will provide parents with an overview of the vision for the Special Education Department for the 2015-2016 school year. Additionally, parents will be able to ask questions and share concerns. Other topics will include: fundraising and parent participation. Please note that we will have two 2 Georgetown SEPAC Fall 2015 meeting times for this first meeting of the year: (1) 9:00 – 10:00 AM in the Main Office Conference Room (1st Floor) at the Penn Brook School; and (2) 7:00 – 8:00 PM in the Library at the Penn Brook School. October 13, 2015: SEPAC Monthly Meeting. General Q & A, information sharing and group discussions on a variety of Special Education Topics. Please note that this runs from 7:00 – 8:00 PM in the Library at the Penn Brook School. November 10, 2015: SEPAC Monthly Meeting. Deconstructing the IEP: Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know, but Were Afraid to Ask. Presented by Sandy O’Connor, Georgetown’s Elementary Special Education Coordinator. Ms. O’Connor will review the IEP form, individual sections and discuss the differences between an IEP and a 504 Plan. Please note that this runs from 9:00 – 10:00 AM in the Main Office Conference Room (1st Floor) at the Penn Brook School. December 15, 2015: SEPAC Parents Holiday Coffee Connection. An informal gathering the celebrate the Holidays with other SEPAC parents. Refreshments will be served. Please note that this runs from 7:00 – 8:00 PM in the Library at the Penn Brook School. January 12, 2016: SEPAC Monthly Meeting. Extended School Year Services (“ESY”): What is ESY and Who Qualifies? Presented by Dr. Straight. Please note that this runs from 9:00 – 10:00 AM in the Main Office Conference Room (1st Floor) at the Penn Brook School. March 15, 2016: SEPAC Monthly Meeting. General Q & A, information sharing and group discussions on a variety of Special Education Topics. Please note that this runs from 9:00 – 10:00 AM in the Main Office Conference Room (1st Floor) at the Penn Brook School. April 12, 2016: SEPAC Monthly Meeting. Special Education Law Boot Camp. Presented by Shelby Walker. This seminar will focus on the basics of both state and federal special education law. Additional practice points on the do’s and don’ts of negotiation, tips and strategies for how to be an effective advocate for your child while building trust and respect. We will also cover the “W’s” of Advocacy: When should I begin advocating for my child? What laws should I become familiar with? What else do I need in order to be an effective advocate? Please note that this runs from 7:00 – 8:30 PM in the Library at the Penn Brook School. May 10, 2016: SEPAC Monthly Meeting. General Q & A, information sharing and group discussions on a variety of Special Education Topics. Please note that this runs from 9:00 – 10:00 AM in the Main Office Conference Room (1st Floor) at the Penn Brook School. June 14, 2015: End of the Year Wrap-Up and Shining Stars Awards. We would like to recognize Georgetown Educators, be they teachers, therapists, aides, support staff or administration, that have been exceptional in their support of our children and/or 3 Georgetown SEPAC Fall 2015 Special Education programs within the School District. Please note that this runs from 7:00 – 8:00 PM in the Library at the Penn Brook School. If there is a topic you would like to learn more about, or a speaker you think we should invite to a meeting, please send all suggestions, comments or concerns to Shelby Walker at georgetown.spedpac@yahoo.com. Join Us! We need your help to be a successful group. We are looking for nominations for Chairperson, Treasurer and School SEPAC Liaisons (Perley, Penn Brook, and GMHS). If you are interested in any of these positions, please contact us immediately! Remember, by joining the conversation, and by gaining greater understanding of the systems that educate our children, you can contribute to the community and to the development of the best possible practices in Georgetown. If you would like to be a part of the Georgetown SEPAC, please fill out the attached form. I hope you had a wonderful summer and I look forward to seeing you on October 1st for our first meeting. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me directly! Warmest regards, Shelby Walker 4 Georgetown SEPAC Fall 2015 To Join the SEPAC: Please send your name, address and email and optional donation to: Shelby Walker Georgetown SEPAC Chairperson 108 Jackman Street | Georgetown, MA 01833 Or by email: georgetown.spedpac@yahoo.com Name: Address: Email: School (s): ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ We would like your input when making up this year’s schedule. Which topics, areas of interest or particular speakers would you like to see incorporated in our meeting schedule? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ Please let us know if you would be interested in the following PAC roles: School Liaison (to serve as a contact for parents in your child’s school, and to serve as a conduit of information between the PAC and School leadership, including school PTA). Treasurer/Communication Officers (to help with recording meeting minutes and posting meeting notices).  Fund-Raising  Publicity  Other (Have a suggestion to support the PAC? Let us know!) _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 5