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Fall Meetings. Parents Only Tue, 9/23, 7:30-9:00 PM, Calvary Joint with District Wed, 9/24, 9 AM- 11AM, Brookside Cafeteria Annex. Contact Us: www.allendalesepac.org allendalesepac@gmail.com. Agenda. Your SEPAC News & Events Voting of Officers/By Laws Special Ed Phrasebook
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Fall Meetings Parents Only Tue, 9/23, 7:30-9:00 PM, Calvary Joint with District Wed, 9/24, 9 AM- 11AM, Brookside Cafeteria Annex Contact Us: www.allendalesepac.org allendalesepac@gmail.com
Agenda Your SEPAC News & Events Voting of Officers/By Laws Special Ed Phrasebook Allendale v. Surrounding District Budget Question and Answer Networking SEPAC XC Topics (all welcome)
Executive Committee Suzanne Bussetti Jessica Downes Michael Flom Aileen Gramsch Eileen Guffin Jim Lockard (repl. Janice Murad) Christina Montanye Joanna O’Toole Lynn-Marie Peare
Mission The Allendale Special Education Parents Advisory Committee (Allendale SEPAC) provides advice and input to the District on Special Services. The SEPAC works towards gaining the respect, support, and appropriate education for all children with special needs in our District and to ensure that students' needs under N.J.A.C. 6A:14, 6A:16, Section 504, I.D.E.A. and other applicable laws are being met.
Goals • Our Goal is to establish a productive partnership between Allendale District and the SEPAC so that: • Parent Feedback and input on Special Services, including I&RS, Remedial programs, 504 and IEP services and parent education is constructively received and acted upon. • The SEPAC serves as a resource to the the District for planning, development and evaluation of Special Services.
SEPAC vs. APCS • SEPAC • Special Education Parent Advisory Council • Solicits input • Advises district • APCS • Allendale Parents of Children with Special Needs • Parent • Education • Support • Advocacy • https://www.facebook.com/groups/AllendalePCS/
2014-15 Priorities And initial survey results
What would make it more likely for you provide input? • Evening meetings • Online videoconference • Online Discussion Group • Online audio conference • Daytime meetings • Refreshments/snacks • Choice of multiple sessions for the same meeting • Sitter at a school location (e.g. a high school student) • Parent only meetings • Web survey • Meetings on a particular day or time (please specify • Input to District only • Input to Exec Committee (parents) • Other (please specify)
General Meetings Frequency ? • 1 time/year • 2 times/year • 3 times/year • 4 times/year • more than 4 times/year • Other (please specify)
Top priorities? • Solicit input (e.g. issues) for District Special Services (remedial, intervention, referral, 504, IEP) practices • Provide recommendations to the District for remedial, intervention, referral, 504, IEP practices • Follow-up on top recommendations with Administration • Solicit input (e.g. issues, topics, speakers, formats) for parent group provided education • Solicit input (e.g. issues, topics, speakers, formats) for District provided education • Parent-only time where parents can discuss issues freely • Other
Top priorities? District Parent
Survey Comments • It would be nice if the district actually listened and acted on the suggestions the group comes up with. Time will tell. • The district personnel should be more responsive to parents' inquiries and students' needs.
Areas of concern/Suggestions? • Processes • Child Find (Ages 3-14) • Intervention and referral (I&RS) • Identification • Evaluation • Eligibility • Parents • Education - process • Education - interventions and programs • Child Study Team (CST) • Treatment of Parents
Areas of concern/Suggestions?Services • Basic Skills Instruction • Speech and Language Therapy • Occupational Therapy • Physical Therapy • Counseling • Multi-sensory Reading • Special Ed (e.g. SI, resource) • Aides • Communications • Social Skills • High School Transition • Extended School Year (ESY) • Summer Transition • After school homework help • Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) • Out of District Placement (OODP) • School Nurse • Other
News & Events • Sheryl Centrelli • New District Special Ed Consultant • General Meeting Date Changes • Evening December 3; Summer • 504/I&RS Terminology & Process Move • Surveys • Operations • https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/B6TDM53 • Future ratings and recommendations survey • Input for 2014-15 Goals
News & Events • Common Concerns • Individual Concerns at Q&A, Networking • District Policy re E-mails • In-person/stamp or US Mail/Certified • November 4 BOE Election • Robert Borst, Mark McAuliffe • Meet the Candidates • September 30 Borough Hall • 7:30PM Limited Seating
SEPAC Elections • Show of Hands (Joanna) • Original SEPAC XC already voted • Proposed By-Laws • Posted on SEPAC Website • Proposed Officers • President: Michael Flom • Vice President: Lynn-Marie Peare • Secretary: Jessica Downes
Phrasebook Translator • A Lexicon of Common phrases • used by School Districts with Parents • requesting help for their children – • And what they really mean • https://www.facebook.com/groups/AllendalePCS/ (Search on “Phrasebook”)
PhrasebookPhrase Used What it means Your child is making excellent progress We are providing lots of services You should consider tutoring You don’t want to put your child in resource room Spending money on special education takes money away from other kids. Your child hasn’t melted down yet You should feel guilty You should spend your time and money We don’t want to pay for another special ed. teacher We’re going to make you feel guilty about depriving other kids
Allendale Budget v. Surrounding Districts 2013-14 Anticipated Budget Data
Allendale School Budget Excludes transportation and transportation aide (except Wyckoff)
Q&A Networking
Thank you! SEPAC Executive Committee allendalesepac@gmail.com
SEPAC XC Topics • Survey Invitation • Survey Distribution • District • One or limited number of reminders • Much response rate (10? vs. ~138) • SEPAC • Repeated reminders to incompletes/non-respondents • Potentially 85% Distribution • Much higher response rate (~40-100) • District access to Details • Potentially cooperation on results • Much lower response rate (10? V. 138)
Sign-up for automatic SEPAC e-mail updates (Please print. Your info is not shared with District.) * e-mail required 9/23/14 evening