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

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

3. Department Goal
The department goal for the 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.
s 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)

4. 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 ( blasts, website, parental survey, SEPAC)
Preparing for 6th grade in elementary schools

5. LRE
The Least Restrictive Environment is defined in the New Jersey Administrative Code (6A: ): "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."

6. 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

7. 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 indicating such to:
Suzanne Biondi
Adriane Dohmen
Kari Comas
Towanda Underdue-Thomas
Johnathan Wiener
Maritza Allgeier

8. 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?

9. Special Services Staff
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)

10. 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)

11. 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)

12. 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

13. 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

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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. Other Business
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