Special Education Department
Educating Students Academically, Socially and Behaviorally
October 7, 2016 Volume 4 Issue 9
October
Children's Health Month
AAC Awareness Month
Learning Disabilities Awareness Month
National Principals Month #ThankAPrincipal
10/3-10/7 Week of Respect
10/9 Hamilton Township Education Foundation Skating Party
10/10 Columbus Day- School Closed; World Mental Health Day
10/11 BOE Meeting
10/17-10/21 School Violence Awareness Week
10/17 Hess Special Education and CST meetings
10/18 Shaner Special Education and CST meetings
10/20 Early Dismissal- Staff PD
10/21 Staff PD Day
10/24 BOE Meeting
10/29 PTA Trunk or Treat
10/29 Faces 4 Autism Super Hero Walk for Autism
News
Substitutes:
We are always looking for teacher, nurse and paraprofessional substitutes. If you know anyone who is interested, please have that person call the personnel office at 476-6247.
Effective Communication
Effectively communicating is one of our district goals this year. We all communicate with many people in many settings throughout the day- students, co-workers, administrators, parents, community members, etc. All of our relationships will be enhanced by effective communication.
Teachers in an Inclusion Model
It is critical that you communicate effectively with each other in order to have a positive working and learning environment. Now that we have had several weeks to get settled, check in with your partner teacher. Talk to each other about how things are going and how to make your partnership work even better! Here are a couple of very short articles that can assist with this conversation:
Eight Tips for Making the Most of Co-Teaching
6 Steps to Successful Co-TeachingTeachers Working with Paraprofessionals
Communicate with your paraprofessionals. They are in your classrooms to assist you with the students. You are the educational leader in the classroom. It is your job to communicate with the paraprofessional as to how you expect them to assist, who you expect them to assist, and exactly what you expect them to do.
Tips for New Special Education Teachers: Working with Paraprofessionals
Mental Health Initiative
Mark your calendars for the SAMI Symposium- Thursday, October 20, 2016. SAMI stands for Suicide, Addiction, and Mental Illness. The SAMI Symposium will be held at Oakcrest High School. More information next week.
AND information about upcoming Youth Mental Health First Aid classes is below. EVERYONE is encouraged to get certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid. This training could save the life of a student, family member or friend.This training is being provided free of charge thanks to the Spread the Love Foundation.
Learning Disabilities Awareness Month
Learning Ally
BIG NEWS!
You have given 226 of our students Learning Ally accounts. Hooray for you! Great news for our struggling readers!
When you are assigning your students Learning Ally accounts, please remember:
Learning Ally UserName= the student's ID number (can be found in Genesis)
ID Number= the student's ID number
Password= LearningAlly
These and all the directions can be found in the brief screencast in the Student Services Snippets section of this newsletter.
Paraprofessionals
All paraprofessionals: Please be sure you have turned in a detailed schedule to the office so that if you have a substitute, the sub is able to jump right in and be helpful. All room numbers and as many specifics as possible should be included. Thanks so much!
Here are 2 good resources for all things paraprofessional!
Launch of NEA's Paraeducator Institute.Straight from the Code
In order to provide both general and special education teachers with more knowledge of special education, there will be an excerpt from the code each week to help clarify our processes. http://www.state.nj.us/education/code/current/title6a/chap14.pdf
Over the next few weeks, information will be shared relative to IEPs. Please be sure you have read and are implementing the IEPs for your students.
6A:14-3.7 Individualized education program
(e) With the exception of an IEP for a student classified as eligible for speech-language services, the IEP shall include, but not be limited to:
1. A statement of the student's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, including, but not limited to:
i. How the student's disability affects the student's involvement and progress in the general curriculum; or
ii. For preschool students, as appropriate, how the disability affects the student's participation in appropriate activities;
2. Where appropriate, a statement of detailed measurable annual academic and functional goals that shall, as appropriate, be related to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards through the general education curriculum unless otherwise required according to the student's educational needs, or appropriate, student specific, functional needs. For all students, the annual academic and functional goals shall be measurable and apprise parents and educational personnel providing special education and related services to the student of the expected level of achievement attendant to each goal.
3. Such measurable annual goals shall include benchmarks or short-term objectives related to:
i. Meeting the student's needs that result from the student's disability to enable the student to be involved in and progress in the general education curriculum; and
ii. Meeting each of the student's other educational needs that result from the student's disability;
4. A statement of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services that shall be provided for the student, or on behalf of the student. Such special education and related services and supplementary aids and services shall be based, to the extent practicable, on peer reviewed research. A statement of the program modifications or supports for school personnel that shall be provided for the student:
i. To advance appropriately toward attaining the measurable annual academic and functional goals;
ii. To be involved and progress in the general education curriculum according to (e)1 above and to participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities; and
iii. To be educated and participate with other students with disabilities and nondisabled students;
5. A statement, as appropriate, of any integrated therapy services to be provided addressing the student’s individualized needs in his or her educational setting;
6. An explanation of the extent, if any, to which the student shall not participate with nondisabled students in the general education class and in extracurricular and nonacademic activities;
7. A statement of any individual modifications in the administration of Statewide or districtwide assessments of student achievement needed for the student to participate in such assessment.
i. If the IEP team determines that the student shall not participate in a particular general Statewide or districtwide assessment of student achievement (or part of such an assessment), a statement of why that assessment is not appropriate for the student according to N.J.A.C. 6A:14- 4.10 and a statement of how that student shall be assessed and which assessment methodology is appropriate for the student;
8. A statement which specifies the projected date for the beginning of the services and modifications described in (e)4 above, and the anticipated frequency, location, and duration of those services and modifications;
9. Beginning at age 14, a statement of the State and local graduation requirements that the student shall be expected to meet. The statement shall be reviewed annually. If a student with a disability is exempted from, or there is a modification to, local or State high school graduation requirements, the statement shall include:
i. A rationale for the exemption or modification based on the student's educational needs which shall be consistent with N.J.A.C. 6A:14-4.11; and
ii. A description of the alternate proficiencies to be achieved by the student to qualify for a State endorsed diploma.
10. A statement of student's transition from an elementary program to the secondary program which shall be determined by factors including number of years in school; social, academic and vocational development; and chronological age;
11. Beginning with the IEP in place for the school year when the student will turn age 14, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP team, and updated annually:
i. A statement of the student’s strengths, interests and preferences;
ii. Identification of a course of study and related strategies and/or activities that:
(1) Are consistent with the student’s strengths, interests, and preferences; and
(2) Are intended to assist the student in developing or attaining postsecondary goals related to training, education, employment and, if appropriate, independent living;
iii. As appropriate, a description of the need for consultation from other agencies that provide services for individuals with disabilities including, but not limited to, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development; and
iv. As appropriate, a statement of any needed interagency linkages and responsibilities;
12. Beginning with the IEP in place for the school year when the student will turn age 16, or younger if deemed appropriate by the IEP team, a statement consisting of those elements set forth in (e)11 above and appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age-appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment and, if appropriate, independent living and the transition services including a course of study needed to assist the child in reaching those goals.
i. The transition services as defined in IDEA shall consist of a coordinated set of activities for a student with a disability that is designed within a results-oriented process, that is focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the student with a disability to facilitate the student’s movement from school to post-school activities, including postsecondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation, and be based on the individual student's needs, taking into account the student's strengths, preferences and interests. In addition to the above, transition services shall include:
(1) Instruction;
(2) Related services;
(3) Community experiences;
(4) The development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives; and
(5) If appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation;
13. The person(s) responsible to serve as a liaison to postsecondary resources and make referrals to the resources as appropriate. If the student with disabilities does not attend the IEP meeting where transition services are discussed, the district board of education or public agency shall take other steps to ensure that the student's preferences and interests are considered;
14. Beginning at least three years before the student reaches age 18, a statement that the student and the parent have been informed of the rights under this chapter that will transfer to the student on reaching the age of majority;
15. A statement of how the student's progress toward the annual goals described in (e)2 above will be measured;
16. A statement of how the student's parents will be regularly informed of their student's progress toward the annual goals and the extent to which that progress is sufficient to enable the student to achieve the goals by the end of the year. The parents of a student with a disability shall be informed of the progress of their child at least as often as parents of a nondisabled student are informed of their child's progress; and
17. For students in an out-of-district placement, the IEP shall set forth how the student will participate with nondisabled peers in extracurricular and nonacademic activities, and delineate the means to achieve such participation, including, if necessary, returning the student to the district in order to effectuate such participation.
From the NJDOE
Grants, Contests and Free Stuff!
Dash Back-to-School Pinterest Contest
Create a board. Name it “Handwriting Without Tears®Dash Back to School Contest." Pin everything from helpful teaching tips, classroom activities, or downloads. Have a the chance to win $200 WORTH of back-to-school gift cards! The deadline is October 14, 2016.
Attend the Presidential Inauguration Leadership Summit, January 18-22 in D.C. The deadline is November 15, 2016.
Enter daily for more chances to win! The contest ends March 14, 2017.
Healthy Playground Makeover Sweepstakes
Enter once a day, every day for more chances to win! The contest ends March 24, 2017.
Share Your Ed-Tech Innovation and You Could Be a Grand Prize Winner!
FREE Professional Development
*Tip- If there is a webinar you are interested in but you are unavailable at the time listed, register anyway as the company will generally send a link to the recorded webinar after the event.
Free Webinars:
Fostering Understanding, Empathy and Dialogue in Our Students
Monday, October 10, 2016 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
From Minigrants to Major Grants: Stan Levenson’s Tips for Success
Thursday, October 13, 2016 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Classroom-Library Coteaching 4 Student Success
Thursday, October 13, 2016 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
What Every Educator Should Know About Special Education Law
Monday, November 7, 2016 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
NJ Coalition for Inclusive Education (NJCIE) recorded webinars
Student Services Snippets
Critical Information for ALL staff is contained in these short screencasts. They run from 4.5 to 8 minutes. Please refer to them as needed.
Working with Paraprofessionals
Critical Information for Paraprofessionals
If there is other information you feel it would be helpful for us to share via screencast, please let us know.
Links to Previous 2016-2017 Newsletters
Special Education Department
Email: stecherm@hamiltonschools.org
Website: http://www.hamiltonschools.org/cst.html
Phone: (609)476-6314
Facebook: facebook.com/HTSDspecialed
Twitter: @HTSDspecialed