EC Newsletter: November 2018
Exceptional Supports for Literacy & Learning
Welcome to the EC Department's Monthly Newsletter!
Do you have ideas for future newsletter topics, teachers/service providers who should be featured, or general feedback? Let us know by emailing ashley1.kogutkiewicz@cms.k12.nc.us.
New Resources for Families
We are excited to share several new ways that families can stay connected with other families of students with disabilities.
Our EC Parent Advisory Council has created the following resources for families:
- Website: http://bit.ly/cmsecpac
- Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ecpacofcms/
- Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/cmsecpac/
Please help spread the word about these new resources by sharing them with the families of your students!
New Communication Tool for Families
Please help us spread the word to families about this new communication tool!
Free WIFI Hotspots for High School Students!
CMS and Sprint 1 Million Project have partnered to provide wifi hotspots to high school students who do not have sufficient Internet access in their homes. To apply for a device that will provide connectivity for students in their home, contact your school's Technology Facilitator. Conducting research, collaborating on assignments, and communicating with teachers are essential activities for success!
Soccer Clinics/Special Olympics
CMS, Special Olympics Mecklenburg County and the Charlotte Soccer Academy (CSA) have worked together for many years to help our students and staff get ready for the Special Olympics Soccer Tournament at the end of October. 14 schools are taking advantage of the free soccer clinics offered by CSA. CSA sends a coach to the school to help with the practices and provides logistical support and the referees on the day of competition. A wonderful partnership!
Literacy Strategy of the Month
Mind Mapping is a graphic depiction of relationships among parts of a text. Students can use symbols and words to draw relationships and determine how minor details relate to main ideas and themes. It is a great brainstorming strategy and a way to organize information after reading.
It helps with comprehension by clarifying and connecting details to the main idea(s).
Students start by drawing a geometric shape in the middle and writing the main idea/thesis within. They then draw lines from the center and write supporting ideas on those lines. Ideas are clustered together based on relationships.
This same design is used in Character Maps or a Narrative Summary.
Compliance Tip of the Month
CHILD FIND AT A GLANCE
- Child Find is a legal requirement that schools find all children who have disabilities and who may be entitled to special education services.
- Child Find covers every child from birth through age 21.
- The school must evaluate any child that it knows or suspects may have a disability.
Want to learn more? http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/child.find.index.htm
Mindfulness Activities – Printable Cards for your Class
Check out the Mindfulness Toolkit created by our CMS Occupational Therapists at http://bit.ly/mindfulCMS. The cards provide exercises and activities that will help students throughout the day with calming, alerting, refocusing or energizing in your classroom. Begin the mindful journey of cultivating an attitude of positivity, perseverance, and self-growth by embedding these activities into your classroom daily. To print two cards per page, select print, select multiple, then select 2 pages per sheet. For additional information contact Ashleyb.shapiro@cms.k12.nc.us and Juliat.harker@cms.k12.nc.us.
EC Department Resource Hub
Our Resources Hub can be found using the link below or by clicking the "CMS Resources" button on the left side of the page on Canvas. https://cms.instructure.com/courses/202112
Professional Development Opportunities
Did you know that the EC Department regularly offers in-person, virtual, or blended Professional Development as well as role-specific Support Groups? Click the links below to see upcoming opportunities and join us for one soon!
Elementary School Opportunities: https://bit.ly/2Jn6lkH
Middle School Opportunities: https://bit.ly/2sztIBg
High School Opportunities: https://bit.ly/2JAL0HJ
Extensions And SBS Opportunities: https://www.smore.com/j91rd-pd-opportunities
Featured Opportunities:
#419946 HPE: B3: Brain, Body, Behavior
Do you know kids who fidget, wiggle, or chew their shirts? How about students who are angry, frustrated, irritable, or "shut down" due to academic pressures? Due to technological recreation and the lack of active play, students are entering schools with bodies underdeveloped for learning. By incorporating B3 activities into a classroom, gymnasium, or lab, schools can help students develop the fundamental motor skills to spark their brain, build their bodies, and improve their behavior to increase academic performance. Register via MyTalent! Available throughout the school year!
#416149 EXC Interpreting Educational Testing Results
Participants will learn how to read, interpret, and discuss various scores obtained through educational testing. Various educational assessments and score types will be examined and participants will learn to identify patterns of strengths and weaknesses. This course will prepare participants to interpret educational evaluation results and use the data to support the development of appropriate individualized educational plans. Happening on November 29th!
#414408 EXC Administering the Woodcock Johnson (WJ IV)
This is a 2-day training to include verification. Participants will be provided instruction on the Woodcock Johnson IV assessment. Participants will be provided details and practice on the achievement subtests and the Oral Language component as well as the online scoring. The second day of the course is for the hands-on verification portion using mock scenarios. It is recommended that at least 1 teacher per school is verified. Happening on December 13th and 14th!
#420086 EXC FA 2018-2019 Referral to Placement and Reevaluation (Online-Self-Enroll in Canvas Course)
This online course completed in Canvas is appropriate for all EC service providers who case manage students and psychologists. There are several components that are beneficial to general education teachers and other instructional EC Staff. It covers the following topics as they pertain to the initial referral and reevaluation process: - Special Education 101 - Prior to Referral: Multi-Tiered Systems of Support - Referral & Parental Consent for Evaluation/Reevaluation - Evaluation Process - Specific Disability Information - Eligibility Determination - Reevaluation Process - EC and MTSS Collaborations for Concurrent Evaluations - Practice in EdPlan: Initial Referral and Reevaluation Process
Upcoming EC Department Events
Parent Round Table #2:
Tuesday, November 27th
Topic: Writing Effective Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
Time: 10:30AM-11:30AM
Location: Hopewell HS
More information: https://www.smore.com/nz3tf-parent-round-table-2
*Please also consider joining us from 9:30AM-10:30AM for a parent-led session by our Exceptional Children Parent Association (ECPA). During this session you will have the opportunity to network with other families of students with disabilities and learn about ways that you can get involved.*
Staff Round Table #2:
Thursday, December 13th
Topic: Progress Monitoring and Data Collection
Time: 4:00PM-5:00PM
Location: Wilson STEM Academy
More information: https://www.smore.com/29d15-ec-department-round-tables
All High School EC and PE staff, you are invited:
- When: Tuesday, November 27th 3pm
- Where: Butler High School Media Center
- Who: Each school should bring one rep, but more are invited. We’d love for one EC and one PE teacher to attend.
- What: There are so many amazing Unified Sports opportunities happening in CMS and we want to make sure that everyone knows when they are happening and have the chance to participate! This will also be a time to talk Unified Clubs. A lot of you have asked for suggestions to improve your unified clubs or are wanting to start one this year- come hear from other schools that have been successful with their club structure! We would also like to work together to create even more opportunities throughout this school year. Come meet with other high schools; Jolanda, the APE genius; Greg, the Local SO mastermind; and myself (Sam Huffman), Special Olympics staff.
When you RSVP (shuffman@sonc.net) send your favorite snack food and drink as well! I’ll be using the list you all send me to create the food options for the event!
Archived Communication
Too many emails and not enough time to read all of them? Take a quick look at our consolidated EC Department Communication Archive to see recent messages that may have come your way from the EC Department and make sure you didn't miss anything important!
Happenings in the broader Special Education Community
Council for Exceptional and CEEDAR Center have developed High Leverage Practices (HLPs) in Special Education
Print document: http://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/CEC-HLP-Web.pdf
Videos and other resources available at https://highleveragepractices.org/
Resources for writing Standards-based IEPs for SWD!
· NC Standards App: https://www.masteryconnect.com/state-apps.html#NC
· FAQ about Standards-Based IEPs https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/special-services/ieps/faqs-about-standards-based-ieps
· FAPE Dear Colleague Letter: https://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/guidance-on-fape-11-17-2015.pdf
· Standards-Based Individualized Education Program examples available at: http://www.nasdse.org/portals/0/standards-basediepexamples.pdf
Social Media
Check us out on Social Media!
EC Department Twitter: @CMS_EC
EC Department blog: cmsecdepartment.wordpress.com
APE Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CMSAPE/
Our EC Parent Advisory Council has created the following online resources for families:
Website: http://bit.ly/cmsecpac
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ecpacofcms/
Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/cmsecpac/
Important Contacts
Need help but not sure who to ask?
Our teams are here to give you the support you need! Click HERE to see who from the EC Department supports your school.
Don't forget about the EC HelpDesk who can also answer time-sensitive questions that you may have!
980-343-2724