The Scoop
Special Services Update - October 16, 2023
Communication, The Scoop & You!
Hello TISD #StarsofSpecialServices!! We have the roles of a lifetime to make a difference in so many lives...it's exciting to see your stories play out and and to see you #shine in your roles!
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.
~Keri
Recap of the last SCOOP - See last SCOOP for full details...
- Tomball Education Foundation Grant Applications: To locate the grant application, go to https://tomball.schoolobjects.com/forms/ and click on 2024 Innovative Grant Application.
- #StarsofSpecial Services - Kathy Bonds & Tricia Baldwin, EEA teammembers Jeanette Guzman, Erika Meza, Michelle Howard, Gay DeVilla, Dawn Turner and Mayra Van Donsel
- It's PT month... We love our PT's!
- Danielle Ewing obtained her BCBA! Congratulations!!!
- Thank you to the CTE team for talking with us at Cross Talk!
Free Trainings through the Autism Grant! Please share with campuses and sign up!!!
Title: Building a Lens for NeuroEquity in the Schools - This program has been approved for 3 clock hours of continuing education credit by the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (TSHA)
Presenter: V. Tisi, CCC-SLP
Wednesday, October 18, 2023 at 12-3pm CST
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/VuVY32JizjUAtx6A7
Title: Advocacy for Caregivers and Families (including Mental Health Support)
Presenter: Dr. Amanda Jelinek & Phuong Lien Palafox, CCC-SLP
When: Friday, November 3rd 9-11am CST
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/kmVjAFAT9U4kYPRu6
Title: Autism, Neurodiversity & Social Support
Presenter: Phuong Lien Palafox, CCC-SLP
When: Thursday, November 16th 9-11am CST
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/p4SDXBW5rSpm5r526
District ReZone Reset
The District Zone Reset will adjust attendance boundaries to incorporate our new schools and provide relief to schools that are at or above capacity. Tomball ISD has always valued community voice, but now more than ever, we want our stakeholders informed and engaged in this process.
- “Thought Exchange” platform. This platform will be available for you to continue providing feedback through October 22.
visit our District Zone Reset webpage, the primary source for all information and relevant materials, during this process.
If asked by community members and parents, please direct them to the website for information and try to refrain from opinions, "hopes" etc on what the zoning may look like. We want this difficult process to be as smooth and collaborative as possible and one of the best ways to do that is with sticking to the process and streamlined communication.
Information to Share with Parents on Available Trainings & Parent University Nights
Autism Grant Sessions:
Title: Advocacy for Caregivers and Families (including Mental Health Support)
Presenter: Dr. Amanda Jelinek & Phuong Lien Palafox, CCC-SLP
When: Friday, November 3rd 9-11am CST
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/kmVjAFAT9U4kYPRu6
Title: Autism, Neurodiversity & Social Support
Presenter: Phuong Lien Palafox, CCC-SLP
When: Thursday, November 16th 9-11am CST
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/p4SDXBW5rSpm5r526
Sessions will be scheduled throughout the school year and added to our Parent University webpage. Please visit the webpage for more details on sessions and what each session offers. All sessions are free to attend and are open to our Tomball ISD community.
UPCOMING SESSIONS
Getting to Know HAC & Digital Resources
Tuesday, October 24
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.| Tomball Event Center
Unintended Consequences: Uncovering the Dangers of Fentanyl
Thursday, October 26
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.| Tomball High School
Pre-K Experience
Thursday, November 2
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.| Tomball Event Center
Parenting with Purpose: Love, Logic, and Mental Wellness
Thursday, November 9
5:30 - 6:30 p.m.| Northpointe Intermediate School
Stay open-minded when parents bring many unexpected guests to IEP meeting
ARD meetings can be overwhelming for many parents and they do have the right to bring others with them to help support them. Here are some tips when parents may show up with guests unexpectedly.
Copyright 2023© LRP Publications
CASE FILE: Sending pupils to hub schools for IEP services doesn't violate LRE mandate
Case name: Jacobs v. Salt Lake City Sch. Dist., 123 LRP 11651 (D. Utah 03/31/23). Ruling: The U.S. District Court, District of Utah held that a district's blanket policy requiring all students with cognitive disabilities to receive special education at "hub" schools did not deny the students FAPE in least restrictive environment. It dismissed the IDEA and ADA Title II claims filed by two unrelated students with cognitive disabilities. It also dismissed the students' Section 504 claim on administrative exhaustion grounds. What it means: The IDEA generally requires a student with a disability to be educated as close as possible to his home. That said, a student doesn't have an absolute right to attend his neighborhood school, and the district has the discretion to determine the most suitable placement. This district required two students with cognitive disabilities to receive special education only at selected "hub" schools. By highlighting that these schools were able to appropriately implement the students' IEPs, the district demonstrated that the students would receive FAPE in the LRE even if they had to commute to a school outside of their neighborhood. Summary: Two students with cognitive disabilities couldn't prove that a Utah district violated the IDEA merely by alleging that the district failed to make individualized determinations as to whether they could be educated in their neighborhood schools. Finding no evidence that the district's blanket policy assigning students with cognitive disabilities to certain "hub" schools denied the students FAPE, a District Court dismissed the students' federal claims. Under the IDEA's LRE mandate, districts must educate students with disabilities in the general education setting to the maximum extent appropriate. Additionally, unless a student's IEP requires some other arrangement, a student's district must educate the student in the school she would attend if she were nondisabled. Here, the students alleged that the district's new blanket policy requiring students with cognitive disabilities to receive special education "in a handful of 'hub' schools" violated the LRE mandate. The court disagreed, noting that the IDEA does not give students the absolute right to a placement in a neighborhood school. Rather, the IDEA only entitles students to an appropriate education, the court highlighted. Moreover, the court rejected the students' contention that they were entitled to "an individualized placement decision that includes meaningful consideration of ... special education services in their neighborhood school." Citing Murray v. Montrose County School District RE-1J, 22 IDELR 558 (10th Cir. 1995), the court observed that if a student's IEP calls for placement in another school to receive specialized services, a district is not obligated to fully explore supplementary aids and services before removing the student from a neighborhood school. Accordingly, the district was not required to modify its program to accommodate the students' location preferences, the court ruled. It also found no evidence that Title II's nondiscrimination provisions entitled the students to attend their neighborhood schools. The court dismissed the students' IDEA and Title II claims. April 17, 2023 Copyright 2023© LRP Publications
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Dates:
- October 10 - 16 is National Braille Week
- October 15 - 21 is Safe Schools Week
- October 16 - 20 is National School Bus Safety Week
- October 23 -27 is Red Ribbon Week
- Snapshot is Friday, October 27, 2023.
PINK OUT DAY (Breast Cancer Awareness month)
Next Wednesday, October 18th
2nd Annual Superintendent’s Fun Run
APRIL 13, 2024
Nov. 6 - Exchange Day #1
Compliance ONLY - Vector Solutions
NOT in Strive portfolio
Nov. 7 - Exchange Day #2
6 hours of approved Exchange Credit
May 28 - Exchange Day #3
12 hours of approved Exchange Credit
- Check HERE for the rest of the year meetings for Special Services
SHOUT OUTS!
- Michelle Howard provided the EE evaluation team and EEA Diagnosticians with a training on PEP 3. She was thorough in reviewing the protocols, scoring, and provided important details about the Test’s strengths and weaknesses that can impact the evaluator’s experience in its administration. She modelled various testing scenarios. We are grateful! You are Awesome Dr. Howard
- You all are so very kind. I have learned from the best – this team right here! I could not be a successful teacher without a supportive Special Services or administrative team -campus teacher
Thad Green is an asset to our district and our school psychology team. He handled a challenging situation with honesty and integrity. Thanks Thad!
Gay Devilla directly and specifically complimented each staff member that was in a difficult meeting in a way that made everyone feel valued and appreciated. Gay, of course, does good work all the time anyway, but this was particularly thoughtful!
Dana Carter = Thank you for presenting an alternative service delivery model to consider when creating schedules and thinking about students' individual needs.
Congratulations Team Infinity for Being This Month's Special Services ALL STARS!
Social Media: Twitter
More Information
Be sure and check out and read the other Smore Newsletters being produced by Student Support Staff
PLEASE remember to contact your student support specialist for all questions, concerns, or needs. Thank you in advance.
Student Support Personnel by Campus
Our Student Support Personnel are listed by campus on the link above. This will help ensure you know your student support specialist as well as other campus contacts.