SEPAG UPDATE:
SPF Middle Schools held their back to school night on Thursday 9/28. The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Special Education Parent Advisory Group (SPF SEPAG) brochures were delivered to both schools and shared in Back to School Presentations, as well as in some classrooms. See NMS's Back to School Presentation here. This, along with recent Swiftreach communication about our upcoming meeting, has resulted in more parents reaching out and seeking to connect with the SPF SEPAG. The driving force for the SPF SEPAG is parental/caregiver feedback which allows us to advise the district on systemic matters. If you are new to the SPF SEPAG, or are a parent/caregiver of a child receiving services in/out of the district, this form can be used to communicate information with us so that we can share with the district. Remember that case specific information should be shared with your Child's case manager.
SEPAG MEETING REMINDER:
The upcoming SEPAG Meeting will be on 10/16/23 at 7PM ET. The focus will be on the role of the Liaisons and to gather your feedback in planning for this upcoming school year. At this meeting the SEPAG will review and approve the 2022-23 EOY Report as well as the proposed 2023-24 meeting theme plan. The meeting will also focus on work being done by current members for this school year and will provide an opportunity for parents and guardians who have an interest in joining to ask questions and see what the SEPAG is like. We look forward to your presence in person at the BOE office at 512 Cedar St. SP, or virtually via this link.
SPF HIGHLIGHTS:
Coles students choose Kindness:Coles students contribute not only to the mural but to the culture of kindness every day
This week Nettingham Middle School celebrates their annual Week of Respect. As shared in their daily announcements on 9/29, this week consists of "daily activities intended to strengthen our school community, and help encourage all of us to take every opportunity to respect and support one another." Way to Go Red Tails!!
The Fanscotian-The Scotch Plains Fanwood High School Newspaper
Should the First Day of School Always be a Half Day?
TAPINTO.NET Scotch Plains-Fanwood sophomore Elissa Steingart is holding an adaptive lacrosse training clinic for children with special needs on Oct. 8, 15, and 29
SPECIAL EDUCATION RELATED RESOURCES AND EVENTS HAPPENING THIS WEEK:
Monday, Oct. 2nd
The Arc on NJ-Mondays with Michael-Archive Creating Social Goals in a Student's IEP. Mondays with Michael is a Facebook Live series that addresses individual topics related to special education. Episodes take place every Monday at 10am during the school year and feature a 10-15 minute discussion with The Arc of New Jersey's Director of Children's Advocacy, Michael Pearson Jr.
Tuesday, Oct. 3rd
7:30pm-Center for Parent Information & Resources-Understanding Special Education : Part 2: The Individualized Education Program (IEP). At the end of this presentation, participants will understand how a child is found eligible for special education, next steps after a finding of eligibility, the required parts of the IEP, and important parent action items after their child receives an IEP.
Wednesday, Oct. 4th
10/4-11/8-Union County Rec Programs for people with Special Needs-Yoga For Teens And Adults With Disabilities And Special Needs
Thursday, Oct. 5th
12pm-SPAN-Basic Rights in Special Education. An introduction to rights and responsibilities as parents of children with disabilities1:30pm-Center for Parent Information & Resources- "Bullying Behavior 101". "Join our next Family Connections on October 5th when we dig into Bullying Behavior 101."6:30pm- RWJBarnabas-Protecting Your Child from Illegal Informal Removals-Children's Specialized Hospital
Saturday, Oct. 7th
9am & 10am-Union County Rec Programs for people with Special Needs-Developmental Golf
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Oct. 10th, 7pm-SPAN-The IEP and Assistive Technology: What Are Your Rights?October 11th, 6:30pm- RWJBarnabas-Building Positive Relationships with your Special Education Team and School DistrictOctober 13th- The College of New Jersey- Educators BriefingOct. 18th & Dec. 6th-Learning Resource Center-Building Mathematical RoutinesOctober 26th, 10am-RWJBarnabas-A Medical Overview of Autism Spectrum DisordersOctober 26th, 6pm-Financial Aid Information Session-Join Assemblywoman Linda S. Carter for an informative FAFSA workshop in partnership with the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA).
MONTHLY THEMES:
Learning Disabilities Awareness Month
&
"Disability History and Awareness Month" in New Jersey
The Learning Resource Center (LRC) Network is a project of the New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education funded through IDEA Part B funds. The materials and resources at the LRC's are provided to support the education of students with disabilities, helping them to succeed and to achieve in the least restrictive environment. LRC shares these resources as a part of it's Learning Disabilities Awareness Month theme for the month of October:
Learning Disabilities: An Overview-LD OnLine provides an overview of the different types of learning disabilities, distinguishes LD from autism, explains how learning disabilities are identified, and describes how educators can support students with LD. See also their article on ADHD Basics.
Support and Resources for Parents-Find resources developed by the Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) that provide information on understanding learning disabilities, negotiating the special education process, and helping your child and yourself.
The LD Checklist: Recognize and Respond-A tool by NCLD that helps family members detect potential signs of LDs or an attention issue in their child so that they can bring any concerns to school personnel or other professionals. Upon completion, users can download the checklist and their results, explore resources to guide further learning, and refer to a curated list of questions to ask pediatricians and educators. Preview the LD Checklist by watching this short video.
IN THE NEWS, BROADCASTS AND UPDATES:
TOOLS YOU CAN USE:
AT YOUR LEISURE:
Down and Up: The Animated Journey of a Child Struggling in School-This animation from the National Center for Learning Disabilities shows what it's like for a child who is struggling in school. It also shows the power of kind words when it comes to overcoming obstacles.
What is a specific Learning Disability?-An SLD is a brain-based disorder that affects an individual's ability to read, write, and do math (e.g., dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia). Students identified with SLD receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a law that provides a free and appropriate public education to children with disabilities. Of the 13% of the U.S. school-age population who received disability services under IDEA in the 2020–2021 academic year, 34% received services for SLD as the primary disability. New Jersey – State Snapshot of Specific Learning Disabilities 2023
NJCIE- The Inclusion Think Tank Podcast -Episode 30: Creating An Inclusive Culture
READING NOOK:
It Took Me Too Long to Decode My Daughter's Dyslexia
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