SSD Webster Groves Schools
December 2022 Community Engagement Newsletter
We Salute Tom Bamvakais: A Veteran turned Teacher!
Tom Bamvakais, is an SSD Teacher who served our country in the Army for 30 years. Tom decided to that he wanted to wear his uniform to school on Veteran’s Day, November 11th. Tom trained as a heavy-duty equipment mechanic engineer while in the army. He spent years working jobs such as military police, intelligence officer, engineer company commander, (just to name a few). He was stationed as near as Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and as far as Honduras, Panama, England, and Korea.
Tom, we would like to take this opportunity to recognize and honor you for your dedication, commitment and service to our country.
Professional Development is in full Effect in the Groves!
Learning never gets old as an educator. There is always new trends developing, data to review, and strategies to learn. During the month of November, our staff participated in several professional development opportunities. On November 8th, Hixson Middle School came together with the high school for a mini conference entitled: Achieving Equity through Effective Professional Learning Communities. The topics ranged from subjects such as using success trackers to monitor student growth, unpacking priority standards, writing common formative assessments, differentiating learning, co-teaching, and calibrating instructional and grading practices, just to name a few.
Additionally, the SSD staff engaged in professional development sessions with Crystal Elze, our SSD Instructional Coach. These sessions addressed our use of Classroom Learning Systems and improvement in using Plan, Do, Study, and Act (PDSA) cycles. The paraprofessionals for SSD also participated in Professional Development with Kevin Haar, Paraprofessional Learning Facilitator. He engaged their teams in conversations around paraprofessional resources, expectations, and opportunities for continued growth in their roles.
Learning is a constant process of discovery-a process without end.
~ Bruce Lee
Transition
The SSD staff at WGHS have participated in multiple professional learning opportunities during this last month that have focused on best practices in the area of transition. One professional learning opportunity was titled, “Charting the LifeCourse.” A LifeCourse planning portfolio was shared with teachers and paraprofessionals. The document starts with a one page profile that helps families and students start thinking about the vision of a good life for the student. Various team members can provide input, but the tools include the student’s voice throughout the documents. An Integrated Services and Supports document was also shared. Personal strengths, relationships, technology, community, and eligibility specific are identified and helps families and students think about how to work in partnership to support their vision of a good life. Teachers have plans to use these tools with students as they prepare for IEP meetings.
A second professional learning opportunity focused on quality transition planning and IEPs. Students with IEPs that are aged 16 and above are required to have IEPs that include appropriate measureable postsecondary goals that are annually updated and based upon an age-appropriate transition assessment, transition services, including courses of study, that will reasonably enable the student to meet those postsecondary goals, and annual IEP goals related to the student’s transition needs. A FORM C: Post-Secondary Transition Plan is included in all IEPs for students that will turn 16 years old during the next IEP cycle or are above 16 years old. Post-secondary goals should be identified in the following areas; training/education, employment, and independent living. The Charting the LifeCourse tools can be utilized to develop the transition plan within the IEP. This helps the IEP team begin with the end in mind. Transition assessments also help develop the transition plans. Students should be invited and included in transition IEPs and students become their own educational decision maker at 18.
St. Louis Area Family Navigation Services
Dream Big: Fall Career Club schedule Free Career Exploration Event
The Dream Big program helps transition-age students (14-21) with disabilities (individuals who have IEPs, and 504 plans) who plan to attend college or trade/tech school explore in-demand careers that will one day lead them to economic independence.
The Dream Big Team has several academic year events we would like to share with you and your team. All Dream Big Career Club events will be hosted virtually via Zoom. We would be grateful if you would pass the information along to your team and families of students with disabilities who plan to attend 2-or 4-year college/universities or trade/technical schools.
The first Wednesday of every month (Oct-Dec) Dream Big will host Career Club via Zoom from 4:00pm-5:00pmCT. Career Club events are career exploration events during the academic year, where students have the opportunity to interact with a variety of professionals in different career clusters. The professionals share their educational and career journeys. At the end students will be able to ask panel members questions. This event is FREE and will be hosted virtually via Zoom!
I am attaching two items, The Fall Career Club flyer and a Dream Big overview document. The Fall Career Club flyer contains information about the event and a hyperlink to registration that allows students/parents to register at once and choose which events they would like to attend. Students are able to attend as many events as they would like. The Dream Big overview document contains a general overview of the Dream Big program. If [insert school/organization] have any additional questions or want to set up an informational meeting with us, please don’t hesitate to put some time on my calendar click here to schedule some time to learn about the Dream Big program or feel free to call or email me at 314-860-2238 or dgiuffrida@starkloff.org.
Best
Danielle Giuffrida
Danielle Giuffrida (she/her/hers)
Dream Big Camp Coordinator
The Workforce, Workplace Disability Advisor
133 S 11th Street, Suite 500
St. Louis, MO 63102
314-588-7090 (O)
(314) 860-2238 (D/M)
Sign up for Dream Big newsletter click here !
Schedule a meeting with me Click here! .
Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Information
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOP
Join FACE for a workshop all about assistive technology. In this virtual session, participants will be introduced to Assistive Technology, by SSD Assistive Technology Specialist Kim White. Learn how to request an AT consultation and participate in demonstrations of universal tools available to all SSD students. Examples will be provided for low- and high-tech AT options that can be implemented in the home and school environments.Click here to register: Assistive Technology Workshop Registration
Sensory Friendly Options for your Family this Winter
St. Louis Zoo’s Sensory-Friendly Wild Lights Night
Dec. 9, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.: Nothing says St. Louis Christmas quite like Wild Lights at the St. Louis Zoo. Your family can stroll through the grounds surrounded by a million lights, including animated displays, fireside stories, campfire s’mores, photo opportunities, and more. This event is made sensory-friendly with trained staff on-hand and quiet areas to help your child decompress. Get more information and tickets at stlzoo.org.
Saint Charles Christmas Traditions on Historic Main Street – Sensory-friendly tours
The Historic Main Street of Saint Charles is a magical and fun place to visit during the Holiday season. With a new inclusion initiative, Saint Charles is now offering guided sensory-friendly tours. These guided tours are conducted twice daily by sensory specialists. Each 90-minute tour introduces guests to several Christmas Legends and ends with an opportunity to get your picture with Santa and a full deck of 2019 Saint Charles Christmas Traditions trading cards. Tours are Saturdays and Sundays during the holiday festival. For more information, including dates and times, visit discoverstcharles.com.
Sibshops at ARC:
Wednesday, December 14 4:30 – 6:00 pm , Monthly on the second Wednesday
Location: St. Louis Arc 1177 N Warson Rd, St. Louis, MO 63132, US
Ages: Siblings ages 7 – 15
Sibshops offer an opportunity for brothers and sisters of children with disabilities to get peer support and education within a recreational context. This free series includes a fun mix of information, games, activities, and discussion. Children between the ages of 7-15 years old who have a sibling with a disability are encouraged to participate. For more information, contact Lee Anna Sanders at 314-817-2269.
ARCH Respite: ARCH Respite reimburses primary caregivers at a standard rate for short-term relief services they receive either in their own home, with the community, or in the home of a care provider. ARCH Respite serves St. Louis County and St. Louis City to register, or learn more, contact ARCH@slarc.org or call 314-817-2236.
ARCH Respite Flier: https://share.peachjar.com/https://share.peachjar.com/flyers/2372403/districts/50008flyers/2372403/districts/50008
Lunch and Learn Series 2022 - 2023
Lunch and Learn Series 2022 - 2023: Special School District’s Family and Community Engagement (FACE) department is excited to offer a virtual Lunch & Learn series for SSD families and stakeholders. The series, which will involve community organizations sharing information about their work, will continue during the 2022-23 school year and take place from 11:30 AM - Noon.
Representatives from three community organizations and three SSD departments will participate in order to increase awareness about their agencies or programs and make connections with those in our SSD community who may benefit from their programs and services.
Features in the 2022-23 Lunch & Learn Series are:
Recreation Council of Greater St. Louis, Summer Resources - Dec. 15, 2022
Productive Living Board (PLB), Resources for Families - Jan. 25, 2023
SSD Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) department - Feb. 22, 2023
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) - April 26, 2023
SSD Family and Community Engagement (FACE), Summer Engagement Activities - May 24, 2023
Communications
Affordable Connectivity Program
Affordable Connectivity Program: The Affordable Connectivity Program is a Federal Communications Commission program that helps connect families or households struggling to afford internet service. This new benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers.
Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) using an online or mail in application. You can learn more about the benefit, including eligibility and enrollment information, by visiting www.fcc.gov/ACP, or by calling 877.384.2575.