Special Ed Staff Newsletter
February 2023
Dear Staff,
I hope you had an enjoyable break this February. I appreciate all of your dedication and hard work with our students. I have observed so many of you supporting each other and providing suggestions to meet the needs of our learners. Please know that I value your time and commitment.
This month we have a great opportunity to nominate someone special in our VUSD community. Please help me in nominating a special staff, parent, or community member by using the link provided below for the NCCSE Excellence in Special Education Awards.
With gratitude,
Nereida Gutierrez
Director, Special Education
Thank that someone special who has made a difference in the lives of children with special needs by making a nomination!
You can nominate more than once for different categories. NOMINATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY MARCH 17, 2023. The awards will be presented at the NCCSE CAC Awards Ceremony, taking place on May 24, 2023.
Make your nomination at https://forms.gle/3r1baEfy7XuPDGrn9
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.
Celebrate Black History Month and the contributions of Black Americans with your learners by exploring The Library of Congress and National Archives resources and The National Park Service.
Educational Topic Of The Month: Inclusion in Our Classrooms
VUSD is committed to providing high-quality learning environments and inclusive opportunities for our students with disabilities. Madison Middle School Students had the opportunity to participate in a marine science education program.
Students in our special day classes (SDC) have the opportunity to take Marine Biology as an elective. Each year, they learn about the wonders of the sea, explore in depth knowledge of marine life, and experience the annual field trip to SeaCamp San Diego, a marine science education program offering interactive and hands-on experiences for all students. This year, students from both SDC programs at Madison Middle School participated in the boat tour and onsite workshop. Such a fantastic way to include all students with diverse needs!
What's happening at our schools?
Marianne Merizalde Preschool Educational Specialist at Cal Ave
Practicing social skills with our CAL Ave students.
Reclassification Procedure Update
Please refer to the updated reclassification procedures for mild/mod and mod/severe students. Please work with your site ELD resource teacher to review the new process. If the student reclassifies, please update the information in ELLEVATION. Additionally, you will need to do an IEP amendment to update the IEP: Information/eligibility page, special factors page, and statewide assessment page.
- Testing Window is February 1, 2023, to May 31, 2023
- Moodle Training: Please complete Moodle Training by mid-March
- Send a copy of your certificate to Kinga Nagorny at kinganagorny@vistausd.org
- Link to timesheet, up to 6 hours. Send your timesheet to Kinga Nagorny
- SPED is working on providing subs to sites. More information to come.
- Please make sure to confirm the number of students taking the AltELPAC with Kinga
Please continue to reclassified if your student took the AltELPAC last year and received a score of 3.
Certification of completion and time sheet must be submitted to Kinga Nagory kinganagorny@vistausd.org
Data Monitoring/Service Tracker
As you may be aware, this year all schools will be part of a new audit and will be required to provide proof of the implementation of services.
In April 2023, the California Department of Education will begin collecting aggregate data on IEP implementation. This year, VUSD will be required to review a state selected sample of student records to determine the IEP implementation rate for IEPs from February 2023 - April 2023. The district office will aggregate the data, but we will need your logs to do so.
As soon as we receive the list of student names, we will contact those of you who will need to submit your service trackers.
Please be sure to maintain your service logs throughout the year as this will be an ongoing requirement.
Here is some additional information:
SEIS Tracker PowerPoint
SEIS Tracker Teacher Training
Copy of One version of a Special Education Service Tracker
Additional Sample service trackers are in the 2022-23 Important Info folder under SAI Tracker Samples
Transition Staffing's
8th to 9th grade transition staffings will begin on March 6.
TK/Kinder Transitions will begin on 4/21/23
Are you new to VUSD? Do you need a review of VUSD special ed procedures? If so, then please join the Special Ed Department Certificated monthly optional office hours.
SpEd Certificated Office Hours (4pm - 5pm via zoom) (Optional, paid hourly rate): The purpose of SpEd office hours is to review IEP compliance and current topics in SpEd. Agenda items will be posted on the invite.
SpEd Certificated Office Hours
Upcoming office hours:
March 2, 2023 - Reclassification, AltELPac, ESY
April 4, 2023
May 4, 2023
Sign up in vector
Please sign up in Vector for all office hours.
Timesheet Submission Procedures
Special Education is changing the way that we submit timesheets to our department. Starting March 1st, 2023 we will be using the Special Education - Timesheet Submission Form. This change is so that your timesheets are processed in a timely manner. There is a Video Guide on the form in case you have questions on how to upload documents through a form. Also, we have included in the form a downloadable timesheet that is fillable on the computer. Please know that with this change you won't need to email or mail a copy of your timesheet to anyone in our Special Education department. Also note, that this form is only to be used for Special Education Timesheets.
Purchasing Procedures
It is that time of year when we notify everyone about deadlines. We have been notified that our purchasing deadline is happening in March so Special Education will be receiving purchase requests up until March 22, 2023. Please know that this does not include IEP-based purchases. If we need to purchase devices that are part of the IEP those will be approved.
Any questions please contact: Dafnee Ramirez x92902
Q. I need to request an Interpreter for an IEP meeting, or a parent has requested a report be translated. How do I get this done?
A. To request an interpreter for an IEP meeting, teachers need to fill out this form.
Once they receive the request, the interpreter assignment may take up to 5 days, though it rarely takes that long.
After they have assigned an interpreter, the teacher receives an email with the name of the interpreter assigned.
If they do not have an interpreter available on the day requested, they will reply via email with alternative dates/times.
If teachers need the IEP, Amendment, MDR or any other SPED document translated, they need to email the name of the student and the DOB to our Interrupter leads (Alejandra Hoffmann alejandrahoffman@vistausd.org, and Leticia Robles leticiarobles@vistausd.org ). They pull the document(s) from SEIS, and email the teacher once the documents are translated and uploaded in SEIS.
Yvonne Fortin 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:
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:
- Education Specialist-Moderate/Severe Teacher ($2,000 incentive) (2022/2023 School Year)
- Education Specialist-Mild/Moderate Teacher ($2,000 incentive) (2022/2023 school year)
- Learning Support: Early Childhood Education Specialist (Mild/Moderate) - Human Relations
- SCHOOL AGE CHILD ACTIVITY ASSISTANT-OPEN CONTINUOUS
- School Psychologist - Special Education
- Speech Language Pathologist - Special Education
Classified:
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
Address: 1234 Arcadia Avenue Vista, CA, 92084
Website: https://www.vistausd.org/departments/special_education
Phone number: (760) 726-2170 ext. 92914
Email: Specialeducationdept@vistausd.org
Twiter: @VUSDSpEd