1. Transitioning To River Dell Middle School Special Education Parent Orientation
April 4, 2019

2. A Few Take Aways From This Orientation
The IEP process does not change.
Communication with your student’s case manager remains important.
Case manager follows your student from grade 7-12.
Communicate with the Director of Special Services.
Registration required for both in-district and out-of-district students.
School Wires-Teacher pages
District Website
Constant Contact-District generated s regarding web content
Genesis-Grades, progress reports, etc.
IEP Parent Portal (New as of 3/25/19)-Finalized IEPs and Progress Reports
Staying connected via:
A Few Take Aways From This Orientation

3. Topics for today’s presentation
The transition process to RDMS
The Special Education process
Special Education programs and supports at RDMS
How will my student be supported? And by who?
Technology support at RDMS
State Testing
Finding district information and information regarding my student
Questions from you

4. The Transition Process: Planning and Communication

5. Communication with Oradell and River Edge
Constant communication between River Dell’s case managers and administration and our counterparts in Oradell and River Edge.
Annually, River Dell holds a transition meeting separately with the case managers from Oradell and River Edge to determine program needs.
School Counselors visit the 6th grade students at Oradell and River Edge.

6. IEP Meetings and Parent Communication
At the annual transition meetings River Dell case managers are assigned to your children so your current case manager knows who to invite to IEP meetings
Case Manager assignments and balanced case loads
IEP programs are entered into Genesis starting in March 2019, with an initial schedule to students in June 2019, and a final schedule in August 2019.
Letter sent during the summer advising parents of case managers and their contact information.

7. Programs and Visits to RDMS
Open House for all 6th grade parents
Special Education Parent Orientation
Move-Up Day for students
Annual Summer Orientation and BBQ in August

8. The Special Education Process
The process for IEP development, IEP meetings, and re-evaluations will not change:
Annual IEP meetings minimum of 1x/year
Re-evaluations every 3 years (or earlier if deemed necessary)
General education and special education teachers attending IEP meetings
Related services provider attending IEP meetings
School counselors attending meetings
The transition process starting the year your student turns 14 years-old
The role of your student’s case manager does not change

9. River Dell Middle School: Special Education Programs and Supports

10. In-Class Support
Available in all content area classes (History, Math, Science, and Language Arts/English)
Core-content support provided by a certified special education teacher.
No more than 10 IEP students in an ICS class
Annually, students are scheduled randomly.

11. Resource Classes
Available in all content area classes (History, Math, Science, and Language Arts/English)
Equal amount of instructional time as compared to general education classes
All resource teachers are certified special education teachers
Additional support provided by an instructional aide depending on class size
Annually, students are scheduled randomly.

12. Learning and Language Disability (LLD)
Self-contained for core content subjects
Cycle classes are in the general education program and supported by instructional aides
Physical education can be in the general education or adaptive physical education
Equal amount of instructional time as compared to general education instructional time

13. Study Skills-Grade 7 and 8
Instructed by a certified, special education teacher
Small class sizes
Takes the place of a foreign langauge
New curriculum for covering five units

14. Executive Functioning
Study Skills
Units
Executive Functioning
Self-Management
Memory
Meaning
Advocacy

15. Extended School Year 2018-2019 July 1-July 29 at RDMS

16. Academic Instruction
Content-specific lessons in Reading, Writing, and Math
Non-content specific lessons: Cooking, Social-Emotional Learning, Art
Presentations from local professionals
Project-based lessons
Reducing the chance for regression
Instruction by certified special education teachers

17. Community-Based Instruction (CBI)
Community-Based Instruction aligned to content-specific lessons
Travel Training and safety
Community locations: Movies, Van Saun Zoo, Pinot’s Palette, Restaurants, Martial Arts, Monster Golf

18. Related Services Speech Therapy Physical Therapy Occupational Therapy
Social Skills (Behaviorist)
Class-based services and CBI based services
Counseling

19. Counseling Services
Child Study Team based counseling: Mr. Keane, Mrs. Campbell, Mrs. Donoghue
Groups/Individual
Guidance Department: Mrs. Binder and Ms. Ross
Student Assistance Counselor (SAC): Dr. Randie O’Neil
Care Plus: Mrs. Kristen Lauber, LCSW (2 days at the HS, 1 day at MS)
Individual
Conducts School Clearances

20. Child and Family Services
Care Plus-New Jersey Provides comprehensive, recovery-focused integrated primary and mental health care for individuals in the Northern New Jersey area.
Child and Family Services
Clinical services in various locations including in-patient and out-patient
Children's Mobile Crisis
Addiction Services
Adult Services:
Clinical services/programs in various clinical and hospital locations
School-Based Services
School-based programs
School clearances
School avoidance programs

21. Region V Services What is Region V?
Bergen County is divided into 5 regions each with a Region office.
Region V is comprised of 13 school district
How does Region V office/staff support districts, case managers, parents?
Transportation for students attending private schools for the disabled
Related services
Professional development for district staff
Parent training Program
Supports and services to Non-Public Schools
Behavioral supports and evaluations
Specialized evaluations

22. Case managers are your child’s advocate, are highly involved in the transition process, and remain as your child’s case manager through high school.
Case managers are the liaison between you, teachers, and providers.
Case managers, for the IEP process, facilitate teacher participation, obtain academic feedback and program recommendations that guides the discussion about program development (i.e. ICS, Resource, LLD, accommodations, modifications, transition, state testing accommodations (NJSLA).
Speech-only students: Speech therapist remains case manager
Case Managers

23. State Testing -NJSLA -DLM

24. New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA)
ELA, Math, and Science
Grades 3-10 are administered ELA, Math, and Science
Only Science at 11th grade (if students has fulfilled the graduation requirement)
Computer-based assessment
Multiple choice and constructed responses requiring application of knowledge

25. NJSLA: The Class of 2021 and Beyond (As It Stands Now)
Starting with the class of 2021 (this year’s 9th grade class) students will have two paths to meet the high school graduation assessment requirements:
Pass the ELA 10 and Algebra 1 assessments; or
Submission of portfolios through the NJDOE portfolio appeals process
To be eligible for the portfolio process students must take the NJSLA and receive a valid score
Universal accommodations and IEP accommodations for NJSLA
District steps to ensure implementation of PARCC accommodations
The class of 2021 and beyond?
Special Education students, whose Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) specify an alternative way to demonstrate proficiencies, will continue to follow the graduation assessment requirements set forth in their IEPs.

26. Diagnostic Learning Map (DLM)
Provided to students who are not able to access the NJSLA
Students, in Grade 7, taking the DLM will be tested in ELA and Math
Students, in Grade 8, taking the DLM will be tested in ELA, Math, and Science
Administered by the teacher in charge of ELA, Math, and Science instruction

27. Technology: Lap Tops River Dell is a 1:1 lap top district
Students receive their laptops in September
Students will receive an introduction to their laptop
Students can bring their lap tops home
Technology support throughout the year
Technology Trainers

28. Technology: Programs and Tools
Microsoft One Note: Main organization program
Supplemental Programs: Achieve 3000 (Reading), Moby Max (Vocabulary), iXL (Math)
On-Line Text Books
Turnitin.com
Tools: Immersive Reader, Translation Ability, Speech-To-Text
Learning Ally/Book Share

29. Communication and Information Access

30. Communication Communication with your child’s case manager
Communication with teachers
Communication with administration
Progress Reports/Interim/Report Cards
School Messenger
Constant Contact
SEPAG-Parent group
Communication

31. Information Access Genesis Parent Portal
IEP Parent Portal (available when you access your child’s Genesis profile)
School Wires Page: Teachers, School Counselors, Case Managers
Special Services web page: Parent Resources, Announcements
Special Education Parent Group (SEPAG)

32. Internal Communication: Are staff on the same page?

33. Inter-Departmental Meetings
Administrative Meetings
CST Weekly Meetings

34. Special Education Parent Advisory Group
The River Dell Special Education Parent Advisory Group is a state-mandated group of parents, educators, and individuals concerned about the children with special needs and learning disabilities. The goal of the advisory group is to facilitate communication between students, parents, staff, the Board of Education, and the community. The group communicates issues surrounding the districts special education program, for the purpose of advising the Board of Education and administration on matters pertaining to improving the quality of special education.
The SEPAG liaison is Lisa Milordo and she can be contacted at
Special Education Parent Advisory Group

35. The Big Three: Logistical Fears, Academic Fears, and Social Fears About Entering Middle School
Logistical Fears: Navigating the building
Review each schedule with your child
Review the student handbook
Review the Power Point from the March 11, 2019 Parent Orientation
Move-up day
Summer BBQ
Visits to RDMS
Social Fears: “I won’t know any one”
Encourage participating in school activities (clubs, sports)
If your child has an interest in or has an idea for a school activity bring the interest or idea to the administration, school counselor, or case manager.
Monitor your child’s social media accounts
Social Skills
Communicate any changes

36. The Big Three: Logistical Fears, Academic Fears, and Social Fears About Entering Middle School
Academic Fear: Tests, Homework, and Projects
Encourage your child to seek extra help and to discuss questions about grades.
Encourage your child to advocate but communicate you are ready to jump in at any moment
Monitor teachers’ Week-At-A-Glance
Compose and a profile about your child to their teachers, case manager, and school counselor.
Time management and organization
Will my child’s teacher read their IEP?
Communicate any changes
Practice typing!!!

37. Questions

38. Child Study Team Mara Campbell, School Psychologist-mara
Child Study Team Mara Campbell, School Patrick Keane, School Grace Lamparillo, Maria Meo, Alison Donoghue, Social School Counselors Mrs. Demetra Binder, Guidance Counselor Ms. Marnie Ross, Guidance Counselor – Administration Mr. James Cooney, Dir. of Special Services – Mr. Richard Freedman, Principal – Mr. John Jasinski, Assistant Principal – Mrs. Lisa Torres, Supervisor of Mrs. Jennifer Ali, Supervisor of Mathematics –