FSSD Special Education News
Doing what's right for our students - one child at a time
October, 2015
After two months in school, I hope you have adjusted to your schedules are making great gains with your students.
I know many of you are enjoying Imagine Learning with our students with disabilities. I was fortunate to attend an Imagine Learning Forum last week where I learned more about this amazing company. Our 160 special education student licenses give our students the opportunity to use technology in order to achieve. Use it wisely and often. Share the results with me. I look forward to hearing about the success of our students! Remember: Technology doesn't build relationships. That's our job!
One of my favorite quotes from last week's forum: "Until we close the Engagement Gap, we won't close the Achievement Gap." Jim Worthen
Enjoy your fall break! Relax, recuperate and renew! Use it well!
Beth Herren
615.794.6624 - FSSD Central Office
615.472-3722 - Direct office line
615.554.4999 - personal cell phone
Congratulations!
Welcome to the FSSD Special Education Team!
Welcome back Kate Baker-McCormick, SLP for FIS and FMS while Kelley Jones is on maternity leave. She is assisted by Olivia Hollis.
Danette Cravens moved from Voluntary-PreK at MES into the special ed preschool position. We are thrilled she joined the special ed team.
Brittany Thomas is our School Psychology Intern this year. She is from the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL and plans to make this a permanent move into our area of Tennessee at the completion of her internship.
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING - OCTOBER 19th
Imagine Learning is also with us on this Professional Learning Day. If you received an email with your assigned time, please report to the Central Office Annex computer lab at either 8:00 or 12:30 for this day of Imagine Data!
The teachers of our students with the most severe disabilities will also meet on the 19th at PGES in room 200 to discuss the MSAA - Multi-State Alternate Assessment for ELA/Math and the portfolio for Science/Social Studies. Thanks for Genny Nash, Renny Henry and Amber Walsh for facilitating this session.
Both our SLPs and our School Psychologists will meet in the afternoon in their own district-wide PLCs.
If you are not attending the Monitoring (AM), Imagine Learning (either AM and PM) the MSAA (PM), the SLP or School Psychologist PLCs (PM), you have a choice from the course catalog through My Learning Plan. If you are in one of the designated groups, please check My Learning Plan to see if you are already entered.
Monitoring Update
Our monitoring begins immediately after fall break. The State has already pulled the student files they will monitor, and we have just been notified of the specific files. Because we are on Fall Break next week, we will begin the process on the 19th. The first step in the process is a "Self-Monitoring." A team of ten individuals will meet to learn the process and monitor the files. Once we have reviewed each file, made appropriate "fixes," and submitted our findings, the State will then review each file. The purpose of the monitoring is for districts to improve practices by writing appropriate IEPs and following proper procedures. Our deadline to have this process finalized is November 16th.
A huge thank you to Diane Barber-Miller, our resident expert on monitoring professional development. Diane will continue to serve as a resource for us to make sure IEPs are in compliance and reflect the appropriate present levels and goals. She is joined on the monitoring team by Kristi Jefferson, Betsy Bagsby-Disch, Fran Bucaric, Lydia Courson, Hanni Watson, Mary Kate Boston, Jenny Williams, Leigh Ann White, and Robin Wigant. Should one of these individuals need to "give up the crown," we have three alternates ready to assume the responsibilities. Our alternates are: Susan Nash, Jessica Chervenak, and Allison Rogers. Please thank all of these individuals for their service to our district during this monitoring process.IEP Reminders
- Upload your documents using PaperClip in EasyIEP - always and often
- Make sure all current teachers have signed the IEP - including related arts/special classes
- Make sure your present levels are organized by AREA and not by ASSESSMENT - See pages 11-12 of the 2015 Updates (For example, put all Reading Fluency information together - assessments and narratives) When we organize by area, we can determine if the entire present level is exceptional.
- Read your manual!
- If you have not already turned in your signed memo regarding the manual updates, please send it in the interoffice mail to Beth Herren
How do we teach resilience and grit?
Video: It just depends on how you look at things...
Important Upcoming Events
- SPED Parent Meeting - Instructionally Appropriate IEPs - Tuesday, October 27 at 6:00 - Franklin Elementary Media Center (child care volunteers needed)
- SPED Advisory Meeting - Thursday, October 29 3:30 PM - Central Office
- SPED Parent Meeting - Sensory Concerns - Thursday, December 3 at 6:00 - Franklin Elementary Media Center (child care volunteers needed)
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR CHILD CARE FOR PARENT MEETING
COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
Beth Herren, Supervisor of Special Populations
Email: herreneli@fssd.org
Website: www.fssd.org
Location: 507 New Highway 96 West, Franklin, TN, United States
Phone: 615.794.6624