The Scoop
Special Services Update - February 13, 2023
Communication, The Scoop & You!
The Scoop is a place for you to make sure you are in the know and have all the information you need. You are responsible for the information in the SCOOP. If you need clarification, please reach out to your Student Support Specialist or me.
Have a great week!
~Keri
Recap of Last Issue:
Be sure and look back if needed for any information on:
- Frontline Drafts - please review if you have inadvertant draft records for students.
- IEP changes for STAAR - try to have all IEPs with STAAR changes completed by April 7th.
- TISD Moves information - let's stay healthy!
- Information about the Frontline weekly reports
- IEP Excusal Process Reminder!!! - Make sure we are completing the form for prior excusals of related service personnel or speech and we are ensuring gen ed, special ed and LRE representatives are in attendance the entire meeting.
AAC integrated into the home environment
District Professional Development Day - February 17
There will be many great sessions on this day. Below are some that are specific to some of your areas to help you plan.
- Session 1: The Road from Self-Advocacy to Transition
- Session 2: FIE to Impact & Needs Statements
- Session 3 or 4: Suicidal Risk Assessment Best Practices (LSSPs)
- Session 3 or 4: Therapy Toolkit for School Counselors
- Session 3 or 4: Choic Theory & Behavior Intervention
For SLPS:
- Session 2: FIE to Impact & Needs Statements
- Session 3: Incorporating Comprehensive Literacy Instruction into AAC Intervention (0.1 ASHA CEUs)
- Session 4: Core Boards in the Classroom
Thank you to our amazing team for presenting so many sessions for teachers, paras, adminsitrators, counselors, assessment staff, etc. #Ubuntu! It takes a village!
Thank you to Special Services team members for presenting: Audra Arnold, Brianne Carbery, Ann Le, Amber Naylor, Tawnya Burch, Kathryn Bonds, Nancy Newton, Jennifer Sewell, Michelle Howard, Beth Goodrich, Jeanette Guzman, Brooke Looney, Matt Marshall, Eileen Garza, Lucinda Marcia, Amy Sigler, Ashley Zbranek, Shelbi Redfern, John Day, Vy Thai, Patsy Ward, Kim Keller, Whitnee Drake
GameChanger Challenges for the Week
We are TISD GameChangers!!! Here's to a great 2023 being a year of positive change we can make for others!
As we head into a week that culminates with professional development and a three day weekend, (we have Monday, February 20th off), I would like to share a quote from Carl Sagan, "Somewhere, someting incredible is waiting to be known."
1 point will be awarded to everyone that is presenting on February 17th, for every session they present.
Thank you for helping us build capacity in Tomball ISD. "Building capacity dissolves differences. It irons out inequalities." by: Abdul Kalam
YOU BE THE JUDGE
Did Minnesota district's proposed IEP enable medically fragile student to make progress?
An elementary student had complex medical needs and qualified for special education due to developmental delays. Her first IEP contained an extensive recitation of the student's present levels of performance. The proposed IEP contained three goals: 1) understanding directions, 2) completing daily routines, and 3) engaging with others, all with adult assistance. The parent rejected the IEP.
The district and parent's relationship became contentious during the COVID-19 pandemic. The district responded to the student's extensive and ever-changing needs due to her medical conditions. For more than two years, the IEP team frequently created IEPs, revised them, and responded to the parent's input, particularly as it related to meeting the student's medical needs.
At an IEP meeting three years later, the district proposed an IEP that contained the following IEP goals: 1) understanding directions, 2) completing daily routines, and 3) engaging with others, all without adult assistance. The parent rejected the IEP. The district filed a due process hearing to approve the IEP, and the parent filed a complaint, alleging the proposed IEP services were insufficient to meet the student's needs.
A student's IEP must be appropriately ambitious considering his circumstances with the opportunity to meet challenging objectives.
Did IEP provide FAPE despite the student's goals remaining virtually unchanged for years?
A. No. The proposed IEP only permitted the student to make de minimus progress.
B. No. An IEP that makes only minimal changes to the goals will always deny a student FAPE.
C. Yes. Although the changes to the IEPs were minimal, they were reasonably calculated to meet the student's needs.
CLICK HERE to see how the judge ruled.
Copyright 2023© LRP Publications
Upcoming Events
SUCCESS Golf
Friday, Mar 31, 2023, 08:00 AM
29519 Quinn Road, Tomball, TX, USA
Hand in Hand Expo
Saturday, Apr 1, 2023, 08:30 AM
1302 Keefer Road, Tomball, TX, USA
Challenge Day
Friday, Apr 21, 2023, 10:30 AM
Tomball Junior High School, Quinn Road, Tomball, TX, USA
Shout Outs
- Thanks AGAIN to all the evaluation staff for covering multiple campuses, evaluations, IEP meetings, etc. for your fellow co-workers and vacant positions. You are all ROCK STARS!!!!
- Dr. Michelle Howard - Shout out from her campus principal and team for her consistent support in ways that matter and feel helpful all the while building capacity in the teams to intervene, teach and reinforce desired behaviors and skills.
- Angela Hodge, Sherry Julio Thompson - Shout out from lead counselor for being dedicated and making the best decisions for students even when it adds to their workload. They do not complain nor whine about doing what is best for kids
Social Media: Twitter
More Information
Be sure and check out and read the other Smore Newsletters being produced by Student Support Staff:
The Specialized Support Snippits
Behavior Bulletin - NEW