Special Education Parent Informational Session October 4, 2017 Belleville Public Schools Special Services Department

Agenda Introductions 2017-18 Department Goals Department Initiatives SEPAC Parental involvement discussion Staff and Program Overview SPECIAL OLYMPICS SEPPO Upcoming Meetings Other business

2017-18 Department Goal The department goal for the 2017-18 academic year will be to involve our parents more within their students' academics. Enhancement of their knowledge of curriculum and extra-curricular activities will further enhance out students' academics. Information from SEPAC meetings, surveys, and IEP attendance has been used to help determine the need for this goal. Emails from IEPDirect (wider audience) Website, Oncourse, ClassroomDojo, IEPDirect goals and objectives via portal Communication sheets from related service providers-continued Informational parental sessions Introductory case manager letters-continued SCOPE-Electronic information-blogs, and articles Continue with parental surveys (google surveys, post secondary surveys)

Department Initiatives IEPDirect-Goals and Objectives-parental portal and paper based. LRE-in district and out of district-continued Compliance Mendability-select ABA programs/students Stabilizing new programs-School 3 and BMS Autism Program SCOPE MSU/Belleville/Nutley TOSD partnership Continued parental input (email blasts, website, parental survey, SEPAC) Preparing for 6th grade in elementary schools

LRE The Least Restrictive Environment is defined in the New Jersey Administrative Code (6A:14- 2.10): "each public agency shall ensure that: to the maximum extent appropriate, a pupil with an educationally disability shall be educated with children who are not educationally disabled; special classes, separate schooling or other removal of a pupil with an educational disability from the pupil's regular class occurs only when the nature or severity of the educational disability is such that education in the pupil's regular class with the use of appropriate supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily." http://www.spannj.org/BasicRights/least_restrictive_environment.htm

Trainings/Staff Development Paraprofessional Trainings-ABA/Regular Teacher Trainings IEPDirect Parental involvement Mendability Science Program Legal Overview for CST Speech and Language in-services/share sessions Handle With Care IEP Writing/Accommodating atypical learnings Section 504 DLM

SEPAC Special Education Parent Advisory Groups are required for all school districts in New Jersey. The purpose of these groups is to provide opportunities for parents and community members to offer input to their districts on critical issues. New Jersey Administrative Code 6A:14-1.2(h) states that: Each board of education shall ensure that a special education parent advisory group is in place in the district to provide input to the district on issues concerning students with disabilities. Goals: Transparency and informational session (both ways) What it is not-vehicle for public complaints-agenda driven Meeting dates have been scheduled and posted on the department website. Any parent wishing to serve on the committee can send an email indicating such to: ryan.kline@Belleville.k12.nj.us Suzanne Biondi Adriane Dohmen Kari Comas Towanda Underdue-Thomas Johnathan Wiener Maritza Allgeier

Parental involvement -discussion What are some ways that the district can get information more effectively out to parents? What are some helpful ways that the district can get information from our parents into the district?

Special Services Staff 2016-17 CST Responsibilities BHS LDTC: Brookes Wagner (CM and Evaluations)-Marion Bergenfeld is covering while Brookes is on leave SW: Gina Hyams (CM and Evaluations) School Psychologist: Melanie Presha (CM and Evaluations at BHS and School 3) School Social Worker: Francis Petrillo (Therapeutic Counseling and CM) School Psychologist: Jenna Taffuri (BD Program, counseling and evaluations) BMS LDTC: Erica Pellegrino(CM, Evaluations-school and OOD) SW: Maryann Harnett (CM, Evaluations) School Psychologist: Kai Williams (CM, Evaluations) Therapeutic Counselor: Kathy Caruso (Therapeutic Counseling and CM)  

Special Services Staff-Continued Elementary Assignments Linda D’amora-(CM: School 5, Evals: Schools 3 and 5, Orton Training) Elizabeth Spirito-(CM: School 3, Evals: Schools 3, 5, 7, 8, 10,Counseling: School 3) Stacey Cohenson (CM: BD programs at 5, Evaluations: School 5, counseling-School 5) Robert Elliott (CM: School 8, Evaluations: School 8, District HWC Trainer) Pamela Stoffers (CM: School 4, Evaluations: School 4 and 8, Counseling: School 4 and 8) Rachel Porcaro (CM: School 7, Evaluations: School 4 and 7)

Special Services Staff-Continued Preschool/Autism Team-Team will also cover Schools 9: I and RS and evaluations LDTC: Jaclyn Groninger (CM and Learning Evaluations for all students in Autism Programs and PSD) SW: Leticia Hernandez (CM and Evals for all students in Autism Programs, PSD and School 4) SP: Andrea Forese (CM and Psychological Evaluations for all students in Autism Programs and PSD) Out of District Sylvia Pastor (Out of District, Evaluations: OOD)

Related Service Providers Speech and Language: Jessica Peralta-School 4 + PSD initials Arvie Flores-School 8 and BHS Janis Ferraro-Schools 5, 9, 10 Allison Joyce-School 3 + some PSD evals at 4 Theresa Lyons-BMS Shira Hirsch-School 7 Rachel Konik-School 7

Related Service Providers-continued Occupational Therapist: Aliza Hillman- School 7 Raquel Bondar-School 7 (part time) Carly Erman – Schools 5, 8, BMS, BHS, Allison Reiher-D’Esposito – Schools 3, 4, 5,10, BMS, BHS Physical Therapist:  Jackie Foster-District Behaviorist: Lisa Berkowitz-ABA programs

Programs School 3 LLD-Intermediate PSD-Full Day PSD-Integrated Autism ABA Program* Resource Room (3) School 4 LLD-Primary

Programs-Continued School Number 8 LLD-Mild-Primary MD-Primary MD-Intermediate BD-Primary BD-Intermediate Resource Room (3) School Number 7 PSD-ABA PSD-Integrated LLD-Mild-Intermediate LLD-Mild-Primary Autism Programs Intermediate/Primary (4) Resource Room (3)* School Number 8 LLD-Mild-Primary LLD-Mild-Intermediate Resource Room (4)* School Number 10

Programs-Continued BMS BD Program LLD-mild (2) LLD-mild (APA) Autism Program ABA* Resource Room-In class support and pullout replacement BHS Resource Room-severe Autism Program Transition Program (vocational skills) *New program Resource Room Services will now be 80 minutes Langauge Arts and 80 minutes Math for all elementary schools

Special Olympics The Belleville Public Schools Department of Special Services will be participating in its second Special Olympics of New Jersey. Standard qualifications for eligibility involve students with cognitive and adaptive functioning below the 2nd percentile. Information pertaining to the Special Olympics can be found at www.sonj.org.

SEPPO SEPPO has had a long standing commitment to helping serve our students with special needs. The organization is in need of committee and membership volunteers. Anyone interested in participating in this organization can reach out to Christine Lamparello at Christine.Lamparello@Belleville.k12.nj.us

Upcoming Parent and SEPAC Meetings October 4 at 6:30pm in the Senior Lounge at Belleville High School.  This meeting will be open to all parents of students with special needs.   October 30 at 5pm at Nutley Middle School Media Center- This meeting will be for SEPAC members only and will be a joint meeting with Nutley SEPAC to discuss parental involvement. January 17 at 6:30 in the conference room of Belleville High School-For SEPAC members only March 14 at 6:30 in the Senior Lounge at Belleville High School-This will be an informational session for all parents of students with special needs.   June 6 at 6:30 in the conference room of Belleville High School.-For SEPAC members only

Other Business ???????