Special Education Family Newsletter
"We are stronger together"
September 2021
Welcome Back! I hope this email finds you all safe and healthy in this new school year. We are grateful for the opportunity to welcome your students in person at the start of the year. All of our team members including education specialists, psychologists, speech language-pathologists, occupational, physical, adaptive PE therapists and our instructional assistants are committed to meeting the needs of all students. We appreciate you all so much and look forward to continuing the collaborative efforts to ensure a successful school year to support your children.
With gratitude,
Nereida Gutierrez, Director of Special Education
This Month's Focus
- Upcoming Parent Training Opportunities/ Learning Recovery Survey
- Canvas Resources for Families
- Vista Virtual School Independent Study Update
VUSD Parent Learning Opportunities
Topics may include:
- Parents as Partners in the IEP Process
- Universal Design for Learning for Parents
- Understanding the Transition Process
- Strength Based IEPs
We'd love to hear from you. Please fill out the survey with your topics of interest.
NCCSE Parent Training Opportunity
Nonviolent Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) pilot training, De-Escalating Challenging Behaviors, A Training for Families and Caregivers
Presented by: North Coastal Consortium of Special Education (NCCSE) - 255 Pico Avenue, San Marcos, CA 92069
This workshop is 6 hours in length and is similar to the Nonviolent Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) training provided to VUSD staff. The training includes practice with CPI disengagement skills and holds (standing position and control position). It was determined by CPI that the disengagement skills and holds provide a means to safeguard vulnerable children who put themselves and others at risk. As always, there will be an emphasis on de-escalation strategies and that holds should occur only as a last resort. This is a pilot training presented by NCCSE with an opportunity for parents to provide feedback on the effectiveness of the workshop.
Available Dates and Times:
- Monday, September 27th, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at NCCSE
- Wednesday, September 29th and Thursday, September 30th (must attend both dates), 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at NCCSE
- Wednesday, October 6th, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at NCCSE
Sign up here: NCCSE Parent Sign up Form (English & Spanish)
Canvas for Parents
Vista Virtual Independent Study School
- All parents who are interested in having their children participate in Vista Virtual Independent Study must complete the application through student services.
- Once the District receives the completed applications for our students with IEPs, our Special Education Department will contact parents and school teams to set up an IEP meeting to determine if the Vista School/Independent Study Program is appropriate for the student. Under California Law, a student who is eligible for Special Education may not participate in independent study, unless his or her IEP specifically provides for enrollment in an independent study program. Applying to Vista Virtual does not guarantee automatic enrollment into the program for students with IEPs. As discussed above, the District will need to convene an IEP meeting to review if placement in Vista Virtual is appropriate for the student.
- The District will work diligently to schedule IEP meetings as soon as practicable and within 30 days of a parent's request to have his/her child participate in District's Vista Virtual/Independent Study Program. Until the team meets in an IEP meeting, the student's current IEP offer of a full day, in-person program on school campus continues to be the offer of a free, appropriate public education and remains available to the student.
Special Education Department Contact
Nereida Gutierrez, Director, Special Education, nereidagutierrez@vistausd.org
Steffanie Rupp, Coordinator, Special Education, steffanierupp@vistausd.org
Chris Altona, Principal, Vista Adult Transition, chrisaltona@vistausd.org
Rachel Schmidt, Principal, California Avenue School, rachelschmidt@vistausd.org
Katherine Abraham, Program Supervisor, katherineabraham@vistausd.org
Tracy Zachry, Program Supervisor, tracyzachry@vistausd.org
Jennifer Gruman, Program Supervisor, jennifergruman@vistausd.org
Kursten Carlson, Program Supervisor, kurstencarlson@vistausd.org
Jean Potter, Administrative Secretary, Special Education, jeanpotter@vistausd.org
Special Education Department: specialeducationdept@vistausd.org