EC Newsletter: January 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.
Introducing... magnet options for the Extensions Program!
Our staff is EXCEPTIONAL!
With the introduction of our magnet options for students in the Extensions Program,
our schools that will be hosting programs with magnet seats have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure that they are fully embedding their school's magnet theme into their Extensions Program.
In the coming months, the EC Department will be collaborating with the school teams to provide additional training and customized support for school staff as needed (including General Education teachers!)
Kevin Sudimack, principal at Kennedy Middle School, has been a true champion of this work by proactively collaborating with the EC Department to ensure that his school is ready to provide instruction aligned to their STEM magnet theme in their Extensions Program!
He has been working alongside the EC Department team to dig into both the Extensions Curriculum and the Extensions of the Common Core Curriculum Guide to develop a better understanding of the content that is taught in Extensions Program- especially the Math Curriculum- since Kennedy is a STEM school.
Thank you Mr. Sudimack for being a champion of EC and helping lead the way with magnet options for students in our Extensions Program!
Literacy Strategy of the Month
We frequently have to make inferences about information presented in a text and often have to answer questions. Not only is this important for comprehending what we read, but for students who take standardized assessments, this skill is critical.
Students should do the following to help improve inference skills:
1) Interact with the questions and the passage – skim over the passage and read each of the questions which are expected to be answer before doing a first read
2) Note what you know – ask yourself what type of question is it? Is it factual and in the text or is it something you need to think about and seek out the answer?
3) Find the clues – now do a first read of the passage and look for clues to help answer the questions
4) Explore supporting details – mark the clues by annotating the text with notes or highlighting important information
5) Return to the question – be sure to answer the question(s) completely based on your clues and notes
Excerpt from The Inference Strategy, University of Kansas – Center for Research on Learning
Compliance Tip of the Month
LEAs are required to provide a parent with “prior written notice” before implementing an IEP. This means that an IEP cannot be implemented on the day it is written. The earliest implementation date would be the following day, provided that the parent attended the IEP meeting and was given “prior written notice” on the day of the meeting. However, IEP Teams also need to consider when an IEP can reasonably be implemented, regardless of whether the parent attended the meeting. There may be some things that need to be taken care of before an IEP can be implemented, such as a schedule change, training for staff, obtaining resources/materials, etc. Using these guidelines, IEP teams will typically choose IEP implementation dates of anywhere from 1 – 7 days after the meeting occurred. The implementation date is recorded on the DEC 5 Prior Written Notice, and this should match the IEP start date. Below is an excerpt from the Student Record Review Protocol that DPI uses when auditing student folders. DPI interprets the statement circled in red as providing the parent with written notice prior to implementing the IEP, so the parent can exercise due process rights, if desired.
Did you know...
Get a "Grip" on Writing
Learning & Teaching Gateway
Check out the amazing resource hub that the CMS Learning & Teaching Department has created for all grade bands and content areas!
https://cms.instructure.com/courses/198074Want to receive great weekly updates from the CMS Elementary Literacy Team? Fill out this form to be added to their distribution list! http://bit.ly/2yYwOim
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 link below to see upcoming opportunities and join us for one soon!
Upcoming EC Department Events
Tuesday, January 16th
6:30PM-7:30PM
West Mecklenburg High School
EC Progress Monitoring Sessions for Department Chairs and Compliance Facilitators
January 16th-January 25th
Locations vary
EC Staff Round Table #3
Tuesday, February 20th
4:00PM-5:00PM
Hopewell High School
To learn more information about future Round Tables, please click HERE.
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
Social Media
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 any questions that you may have!
980-343-2724