SEPAG UPDATE:
The next SEPAG meeting will be held on Monday, February 5th, at 7 p.m. at the SPF Board of Education Offices at 512 Cedar St., Scotch Plains. The meeting link and future meeting dates can be found on the SEPAG site here.
In last week's communication, we shared from our January meeting how the SPF SEPAG has been able to collect feedback and share that feedback with the district. Carrying out our purpose of advising the district on matters that affect students receiving special education and related services in and out of our district. Actions are being taken on the part of the district based on this feedback. Revisit the presentation, which is linked to our January meeting minutes here.
We are effective when we share our collective voices, and we continue to seek ways to reach out and bring awareness to the SPF SEPAG. Please visit our website as well as our Facebook page for ways to get involved, volunteer, and view many helpful resources. As always, parents can reach out via our contact form on the main page of our website or via email at spfsepagk12@gmail.com.
Your Input Helps!
We continue to seek out ways to connect and gather feedback from Parents and Caregivers. Please share any information that may be helpful, via this form. It is one of the many means that the SEPAG uses to gather information. It can be used at any time and also ahead of our meetings to communicate relevant topics and information. Feel free to share with any other parents/caregivers that may find this communication useful. Case specific information should be shared with your child's Case Manager.
SPFK12 HIGHLIGHTS
SPECIAL EDUCATION RELATED RESOURCES AND EVENTS HAPPENING THIS WEEK.
Monday, Jan. 22nd
10am-The Arc of NJ- Mondays With Michael (FB live)-Preparing to Apply for DDD. Mondays with Michael is a Facebook Live series that addresses individual topics related to special education. Episodes feature a 10-15 minute discussion with The Arc of New Jersey's Director of Children's Advocacy, Michael Pearson Jr.
7pm-The Arc of NJ Planning for Adult Life-Preparing To Get The Most Out Of Your High School Experience. "As a parent, you want to help your child make choices that are best for his or her needs. This workshop will explain the role your school district will play in the transition process and how you can prepare your child for adult life.'
Tuesday, Jan. 23rd
12pm-SPAN-AT Supports for Students with Hearing Impairments or Deafness
Wednesday, Jan. 24th
1pm-Center for Parent Information & Resources-Ask An Expert-Special Needs Trusts
6:30pm ESCNJ Parent Support Program-School Refusal:From Assessment to Intervention
Thursday, Jan. 25th
6:30pm-Children's Specialized Hospital-Preparing your Child for Adulthood: Special Education Transition Rights - Children's Specialized Hospital
7pm-SPAN-Student-Led IEPs: A Path to Success
Friday, Jan. 26th
1pm-The Center for Parent Information and Resources-Social and Life Skills App. "Many kiddos (and adults) struggle with social and life skills. Join this session, in which we will demonstrate apps that can help with these skills. App focus will include: personal grooming, household chores, telling time, dialing 911, social skills, and more."
Saturday, Jan. 27th
9:30am-Scotch Plains Library-Prepare for the ACT by taking this free proctored practice exam, offered by Above the Grade!
UPCOMING & ONGOING EVENTS:
Jan. 30th, 7pm-SPAN-Look to the Future: Transition from school to adult life
Jan. 31st, 4:15pm-SPAN-The SPAN Youth Chat for Ages 14-26
Feb. 5th, 10am-The ARC of NJ-What is a Special Education Parent Advisory Group
Feb. 6th, 7pm-Union County Recreation for People with Special Needs-Inclusive Ceramic Painting for All Ages
Feb. 10th, 10:30am- Fanwood Library-Paint a Canvass of Kindness
Mar. 5th, 6:30pm-SPAN-Virtual Gathering on Stress Management and Self Care
MONTHLY THEMES:
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. The following information is a selection of some of the resources and information shared by the LRC as they highlight Awareness Themes for the month of January.
National Braille Literacy Month
January is Braille Literacy Month, in honor of the birthday of Louis Braille, creator of the braille writing/reading system, who was born on January 4th, 1809. The observance raises awareness of the importance of Braille to the blind and visually impaired community.
ABCBraille - Developed by a parent to support other parents and teachers as their kids learn braille. Older children would enjoy exploring the Text to Braille and Braille to Text tools!
Braille | American Foundation for the Blind -A great resource for sighted parents and teachers looking to support children who are blind or visually impaired learning braille.
National Mentoring Month
Each January, we celebrate the power of mentoring and encourage others to explore how mentoring programs can have a positive impact on society by enabling people and organizations to create more productive, engaged and satisfied individuals.Follow #MentoringMonth and #ThankYourMentor.
Mentoring | Partners for Youth with Disabilities -Free, online mentoring for young adults (ages 18-26) with disabilities across the United States who are interested in career readiness support. Participants are selected through an application process and will have access to a group of professional mentors and monthly virtual workshops.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America -The largest volunteer-supported mentoring network in the country, developing positive relationships between adult volunteers ("Bigs") and youth ages 5 through young adulthood ("Littles") through community-based and school-based programs.
IN THE NEWS, BROADCASTS AND UPDATES:
RESOURCES & TOOLS YOU CAN USE:
Understood.org-What is a 504 plan?
SPFHS Co-Curricular Activities
SPAN Literacy
Play Areas that Support Literacy:Have you ever visited your child's classroom? Did you notice the colorful pictures on the walls? Maybe you saw cards with printed "site words" posted around the room. This brief (5:05 min) video from the Fred Rogers Center will give you some ideas of how your child's teacher promotes literacy in the Classroom.
Motivation to Read:Also called "Print Motivation," it is a child's interest in and enjoyment of books. A child with print motivation enjoys being read to, plays with books, pretends to write, asks to be read to, and likes trips to the library. Motivation to read may seem like a simple thing, but if a child doesn't have that internal desire, teaching them to read will be quite challenging.
AT YOUR LEISURE:
NJCIE-The Inclusion Think Tank Podcast-Episode 37: The Importance of Listening, Having Empathy and Awareness
READING NOOK:
Practical Strategies For Supporting Emotional Regulation In Students With Autism : Enhancing Engagement And Learning In The Classroom, by Leslie Blome
The information on this website/newsletter is for general informational purposes only. SPF-SEPAG makes no representation or warranty, express or implied. Your use of the information is solely at your own discretion. This website/newsletter may contain links to third party content that are not controlled or operated by the SPF SEPAG. Your use of third-party websites is at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of use for those websites.
