Brentwood Special School District
September 2021 Edition
Dear Families,
Here is to a Super September!!
I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed seeing the excitement and joy in classrooms across the district. Students and staff are settling into the daily routines of being back in school. Thank you for your support as getting back into the groove takes a lot out of students and can make mornings and evenings at home stressful at times. We appreciate your ongoing commitment to working with and communicating with us as we work together to support students.
I have had a few questions come up about IEP meetings for the 21-22 school year and wanted to let you all know that for the foreseeable future IEP meetings will still be virtual. Your child's case manager will be setting meetings up with you when it is time and will make sure you have the needed information to join the meetings.
As many of you know, I started in Brentwood in January of 2021. Since that time, I have loved getting to know your students, you, staff, and the personalities of each of the Brentwood Schools. Through various conversations since my arrival, I have learned so much about the community and would like to continue to hear from families on how we can work together to build a supportive network for parents of students with IEPs in the Brentwood Community. Please complete this form so that I can gauge the communities interest in something like this and develop a time for us to connect.
Travena Hostetler; Ed D
Director of Special Education; Brentwood
thostetler@brentwoodmoschools.org
314-989-8479
Family Involvement
Have you ever wanted to really think about the goals you have for your student and your family? Charting the Life Course is a great activity to complete with your family that can also help you communicate with your student's case manager the goals that you have for them in the future. There are many free resources. Please take a look and let us know if we can help!
PEDA's Family & Community Resources Center
The Family & Community Resources Center (FCRC) provides just what its name promises, vast array of special education and disability-related tools and resources for SSD families and the community at large. The FCRC's collection includes thousands of books, journals.
Materials may be sent home through school mail to families whose children receive SSD services. For those not served by SSD, materials are still available for checkout but must be picked up and dropped off at either the SSD Central Office or SSD Learning Center location.
If you would like to visit the Family & Community Resource Center to browse the materials, we strongly encourage scheduling an appointment. Please contact us to schedule at 314.989.8460 or ssdpeda@ssdmo.org.
Health and Wellness
Often the start of a new school year can bring an increased feeling of anxiety for families and students. It’s normal for families to have a tough time transitioning themselves when their kids begin kindergarten, move on to the next grade, or transition to a new school. For many families, they are experiencing the loss of some control. It is important for families to remember they can’t control experiences and stress for their kids. Instead, she says families should be focused on helping their kids understand how they feel, talk it through, and learn how to cope with whatever’s going on. There are several ways that families and children can manage the stress that can come with the start of a new school year:
· Differentiate stress from stressors. Stressors are what activates the stress response in your body. Stressors can be anything you see, hear, smell, touch, taste, or imagine could do you harm. Stress is the neurological and physiological shift that happens in your body when you encounter one of these threats. The stress response = fight / flight / freeze.
· Just because you’ve dealt with the stressor doesn’t mean you’ve dealt with the stress itself.
· The key is to “complete the stress cycle” - i.e. to remove stress from the body in ways that work for YOU. Below are the 7 evidence-based strategies for completing the stress cycle
VIRTUAL LUNCH & LEARN SERIES FOR SSD FAMILIES AND STAKEHOLDERS
Special School District’s Family and Community Outreach, Social Work, Parent Education and Diversity Awareness (PEDA) and Communications departments have teamed up 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 take place on the first Wednesday of each month during the 2021-22 school year, from 11:30 AM - Noon.
Representatives from nine community organizations will participate in order to increase awareness about their agency and make connections with those in our SSD community who may benefit from their programs and services.
Organizations represented in the Lunch & Learn series include:
- The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – Sept. 1
- The Community Action Agency of St. Louis County (CAASTL) – Oct. 6
- Operation Food Search – Nov. 3
- Behavioral Health Response – Dec. 1
- Easterseals Midwest – Jan. 5
- The Recreation Council of Greater St. Louis – Feb. 2
- Team Activities for Special Kids (TASK) – March 2
- St. Louis ARC – April 6
- St. Louis County Library – May 4
SSD Parent Leadership Institute – Fall 2021
Parent Leadership Institute participants have the opportunity to:
- Build understanding of future planning and problem-solving utilizing the Charting the LifeCourse tools.
- Learn to effectively participate in their child’s education and improve the educational climate for all children.
- Learn how to positively interact and collaborate with other parents and school personnel.
- Discover new resources and network with other parents.
This program, which is offered at no cost to participants, is designed for parents and family members who are the educational decision makers for a child with a disability.
The three sessions will be held on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 22, Sept. 29, and Oct. 6, 2021, at SSD Central Office, 12110 Clayton Road, 63131.
In-person sessions are currently planned, and further information will be provided to participants if there are any changes prior to the first session. If in-person attendance is possible, dinner will be provided with all sessions.
Upcoming Events
SSD Board of Education Meetings:
September 28, 2021 - 5:45 pm
October 26, 2021 - 5:45 pm
November 9, 2021 - 5:45 pm
December 14, 2021 - 5:45 pm
Please visit the SSD Board of Education for more information.
Brentwood School District Board of Education Meetings:
September 21, 2021 - 7:00 pm
October 19, 2021 - 7:00 pm
November 16, 2021 - 7:00 pm
December 21, 2021 - 7:00 pm
Please visit the Brentwood Board of Education for more information.
Staff Shout Out!!!
Do you have a teacher or staff member who has gone above and beyond for you or your child supporting them, encouraging them to do their best or being a listening ear when they need someone? Please take a minute to write a note of thanks by sharing your appreciation with them. You may fill out this form as many times as you would like for different school personnel.
Helpful Links
Contact Us
Special School District of St. Louis County
12110 Clayton Road
Town & Country, MO 63131
Phone: 314‐989‐8100
Travena Hostetler
- Director of Special Education; Brentwood
- trhostetler@ssdmo.org
Erik Lewis
- School Social Worker
- erlewis@ssdmo.org
Mary Herbst
- School Psychologist
- meherbst@ssdmo.org