SpEd Staff Newsletter
March 2023
Dear Staff
Spring has arrived and we continue to focus on VUSDs Framework for the Future which includes kindness, confidence, compassion and equity. This month we had a successful parent workshop on inclusive strategies and reviewed VUSDs annual Community Advisory Committee Priorities. Thank you all for your continued support as we work together to meet our student’s needs.
With gratitude,
Nereida Gutierrez,
Director, Special Education
STARS of Excellence & Innovation
STARS of Excellence & Innovation is our staff recognition award program for Vista Unified School District. This recognition is for all VUSD employees. This award will be given at the end of every month and will include a gift from a local small business, a picture on the VUSD website, recognition in the community update, on social media platforms, and at the regular board meetings. Please see our current and past STARS below.
Progress Report Updates
ESY
HR is now accepting applications for Extended School Year (ESY - Special Education) for this summer. Please click on the link for more information and the application.
Application Deadline: March 31, 2023
Certificated ESY Application: https://forms.gle/QJj8YA4kzcWYs4up9
Tell your IAs: Classified ESY Application: https://forms.gle/Qu66QkhvjTHUohfYA
ESY will be from June 20, 2023 - July 14, 2023
- Cal Ave (Preschool)
- Empresa Elementary (K-8)
- Vista Adult Transition Center (VATC) (9-12, Adult Transition)
End of Year Dates:
IEPs due by June 30, 2023 need to be held by May 26, 2023
IEPs due by September 30, 2023 need to be held in the Spring by May 26, 2023. The sending school must complete all tris and initials due by Sept 30
Please adhere to the 60 day timeline. The timeline stops from 6/8/23 - 8/16/23
All ESY services should be on the IEP by the end of April.
Please send your paperwork to the DO before June!
Timesheet Submission Form
Last Call for Orders this Year!
This includes assessment kits and Special Ed orders (except for IEP related orders)
Medical Billing closing on March 15, 2023
ALL orders must be to Dafnee by March 22, 2023
Upcoming Optional Certificated Office Hours 2022-2023
Thursday, May 4, 2023 (4:00 – 5:00pm via zoom)
Topics: ESY, End of Year Info, Transitions, SEIS Compliance
Special Education - Timesheet Submission Form
Special Education Office Hours 2022 - 23 Agenda
SIGN UP IN VECTOR FOR PD CREDIT
Professional Development
Please note: you must get approval from your site administrator to attend any out of district trainings using the following form
Certificated: If you require a sub, please contact your site office manager for a school business sub. (Due to the shortage of subs, there is no guarantee that a sub will be available. Also, no school business subs are approved on Mondays and Fridays)
If you’d like to attend a webinar, please submit a Webinar Approval Form
Please fill out a form for any travel outside of the District: Out of District Travel Form
Upcoming PD
NCCSE PDs
March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
NCCSE Scholarship Opportunity
The scholarship submission period for new applications for 2023-2024 is open until March 31, 2023.
- The Dr. Lynnette Robinson Scholarship for Inclusive Education - For high school seniors who want to pursue a career in special education or a related field.
- The Bob Grundstrom Memorial Scholarship Information - For high school seniors who receive special education services.
NCCSE Parent Workshops
Adult Transition Fair, Saturday, April 22, 2023 from 9:00am to 11:30am
Location: NCCSE 255 Pico Ave, San Marcos, CA 92069
Please share the event with our families, students, and staff who would like to learn about resources for their students after they exit high school or adult transition programs (ATP).
Yvonne Friday Tips
Friendly reminder. Please be sure to review the Yvonne Fridays Tips. She has listed great resources to submit data in SEIS. Thank you
Previously on…Friday Tips:
03/17/23 - Vanishing SEIS Data and How to Clear your Cache
03/10/23 - Its all in the Transportation Details
02/10/23 - Data Monitoring/Service Tracker
01/27/23 - Parent Involvement
01/20/23 - Services that end in June
01/13/22 - ESY reminder and Matriculation reminder
12/16/22 - Progress Reports - a walkthrough WITH EXAMPLES
12/09/22 - Drag and Drop Attachments
12/02/22 - Updated Procedural Safeguards and Friday Tips LIVE! (?)
11/18/22 - Happy Thanksgiving!
11/15/22 - a Special Tuesday TIP! Do not pre-date IEPs in SEIS
11/04/22 - Numbering IEPs and Adding new students to caseload
10/28/22 - Printing Greyed-Out Forms and Previous DNQ's
10/21/22 - Electronic Signatures (E sign package), Parent Walkthrough, Parent Walkthrough Spanish Version, participant walkthrough, Official SEISSign walkthrough
10/14/22 - Mail Etiquette
10/07/22 - My IEP is NOT overdue!
09/30/22 - IEP document management
09/23/22 - Delay Codes
09/16/22 - Social Services Questionnaires
09/09/22 - the Difference between a DNQ and Exit IEP
09/02/22 - Documenting a Late IEP
08/26/22 - Annual and TRI due in the same school year and How to request an Interpreter
08/19/22 - 60 day Timeline!
08/12/22 - Transfer students from Non SEIS District, Program Setting for Incoming Private/NPS, How to bulk print from SEIS
VUSD IS HIRING - SPREAD THE WORD!
Do you know of anyone who is looking for a job in education? If so, please encourage them to apply for our open positions.
Certificated Staff:
- Education Specialist-Mild/Moderate Teacher ($2,000 incentive) (2023/2024 school year)
- Education Specialist-Moderate/Severe Teacher ($2,000 incentive) (2023/2024 School Year)
- School Psychologist - Special Education
- Speech Language Pathologist - Special Education
- Education Specialist-Moderate/Severe Teacher ($2,000 incentive) (2022/2023 School Year)
- Education Specialist-Mild/Moderate Teacher ($2,000 incentive) (2022/2023 school year)
Classified Staff:
Special Education Community Liaison
Please don't hesitate to communicate with our Community Liaison. We are here to facilitate communication between VUSD and families. If you need assistance please reach out to Doris Cruz.
Phone number: (760) 726-2170 ext. 92914
Email: doriscruz@vistausd.org
Community Resources:
- Autism Society San Diego
- CAPTAIN- California Autism Professional Training and Information Network
- CA Special Education Data Resources
- Exceptional Family Resource Center
- Findhelp.org
- Inclusive Schools
- Mental Health Resources for Teens
- North County Resource Guide
- NCCSE- Mental Health Presentation from Nov. 9th
- Online Tutoring
- San Diego County Office of Education
- San Diego Regional Center
- Special Olympics
- Special Needs Resource Foundation of San Diego
- VUSD Calming Corner
Special Education Department Contacts
Nereida Gutierrez, Director, Special Education, specialeducationdept@vistausd.org
Steffanie Rupp, Coordinator, Special Education, steffanierupp@vistausd.org
Rachel Schmidt, Principal, California Avenue School, rachelschmidt@vistausd.org
Katherine Abraham, Principal, Vista Adult Transition Program, katherineabraham@vistausd.org
Jennifer Gruman, Program Supervisor, jennifergruman@vistausd.org
William Foley, Program Supervisor, williamfoley@vistausd.org
Kinga Nagorny, Program Supervisor, kinganagorny@vistausd.org
Dr. Charyn Socket Berg, Program Supervisor charynberg@vistausd.org
Dafnee Ramirez, Administrative Secretary, Special Education, dafneeramirez@vistausd.org
Debra Harris, Data Tech, debraharris@vistausd.org
Yvonne Fortin, Data Tech, yvonnefortin@vistausd.org
Doris Cruz, Community Liaison, Special Education, doriscruz@vistausd.org
Special Education Department: specialeducationdept@vistausd.org
Special Education Department
Email: Specialeducationdept@vistausd.org
Website: https://www.vistausd.org/departments/special_education
Location: 1234 Arcadia Avenue Vista, CA, 92084
Phone: (760) 726-2170
Twitter: @VUSDSpEd