The Scoop
Special Services Update - September 11, 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 last weeks SCOOP - See last weeks SCOOP for full details...
- WELCOME TO RODELIAH ELLOIE, PROGRAM SPECIALIST FOR ASSESSMENT. We are excited to have her with us. She will be in training all this week, but will be ready to go soon (Monday, September 18th) to support our evaluation teams and campuses. Please welcome her! See last weeks SCOOP for her full intro bio.
- Department Goals - As you get ready to set your professional goals this year, we want to share our focus goals as a department. You will need to identify one goal to help support this year as part of your appraisal process. #StarsofSpecialServices !!!
- Manging Illness - Still posted below in a button. Link goes to procedures for when you have an illness and need to be out for work.
- SPEDTex has many resources for educators and families. Among those are the Surrogate Parent Training and the SPEDTex Resource Locator.
- EEA FAQ Guidance - Please follow this guidance.
- HB 3928 - The Special Services team met with counselors, diagnosticians, and Academic Specialists to roll out the TISD plan for transitioning students receiving dyslexia intervention through 504 to special education in accordance with HB 3928. THIS one-page document was created to guide campuses through the process.
Tomball Education Foundation Grant Application Open!!!
Tomball Education Foundation (TEF) is excited to support innovative classrooms through funding grant opportunities. Last year, TEF funded over $100,000 in resources to enhance classrooms. Special Services received two grants in addition to many special education teachers obtaining grants as well!
In addition to reading applications and selecting grants, the Programs Committee is available to answer any questions regarding the completion of the application. You may contact them at https://tomballedfoundation.com/grants/ to ask questions or request a representative to visit you on campus.
To locate the grant application, go to https://tomball.schoolobjects.com/forms/ and click on 2024 Innovative Grant Application.
Let's get some grants!!!
STAAR ALT2 Participation Requiements - UPDATE
Based on information from the U.S. Department of Education, the Student Assessment and Special Education Divisions of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) have been working together to update the STAAR Alternate 2 documents and trainings to ensure all students are appropriately assessed. As a result, TEA has updated the STAAR Alternate 2 Participation Requirements for the 2023–2024 school year. The updated participation requirements are posted on the STAAR Alternate 2 Resources webpage.
Until Frontline is able to update the fomr in ARD forms, you can print and use the form as a guide to ensure appropriate decesions in the ARD. The requirments have not changed, just been clarified in an easy to use format with pointed, clear questions to answer when making the decision.
Standards-Based Individual Education Plan (IEP) Process Training
The intent of this training is to provide participants with an understanding of the SB IEP process for gathering student data, including the full and individual evaluation (FIE), to write the student’s present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP) statement, to draft measurable annual goals with short-term objectives/benchmarks, if appropriate, and to create a data collection system for monitoring progress of the annual goals.
The intended audience for this training is special education teachers, related service providers, and any other professional staff responsible for drafting a student’s IEP, including the PLAAFP and measurable annual goals.
Initial Timelines & Snapshot Date Reminders
Please ensure you are following our TISD guidance for Intial Timelines. This includes completing your reports 5 days prior to the actual timeline due date. This helps to prevent any calendar mistakes or miscalculations of absences, dates, etc.
Also, with snapshot nearing, please see this sheet to help you with common PEIMs errors. We want to keep our data as clean as possible. Reach out to your student support specialist if you need help.
House Bill 3928
Bookmark our Student Support Website for quick reference
Please see our Student Support Website for procedural and office forms and questions. The updated travel forms/mileage form can be found there now.
Properly Constituted ARD Meetings
Please see our Operating Guidelines on our TISD Student Support Website for further clarification on properly constituted ARDs.
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Dates:
- Mammogram Screenings all month via different campuses on different dates... see email sent for QR codes to sign up.
- Friday, September 15 - Cross Talk at TEC. Breakfast at 8, Meeting 8:30 - Noon
- Eric Paddy Memorial Disc Golf Course Grand Opening - October 14, 2023
- Check HERE for the rest of the year meetings for Special Services
In Sympathy...
Our deepest sympathies to our Special Services family member, Cathy Williams and our colleague in CTE, Amanda Roman, on the loss of their husband and father respectively last Thursday evening.
There is a meal train set up. To sign up go here: https://mealtrain.com/wdz3r0
The celebration of Life will be on:
Friday, September 15th, from 4:00 - 8:00 PM at
West Montgomery County Community Center
31355 Friendship Dr.
Magnolia, TX 77355
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to one of the following foundations:
foldedflagfoundation.org or lungtransplantfoundation.org
Shout Outs
- Whitnee Drake & Cindy Gunn - Last Friday was national Physical Therapy Day. Let them know how much we appreciate them!
Thank you to Kathy Bonds and Tricia Baldwin for meeting with so many campuses to discuss accommodations! We appreciate your time you have taken to train so many!
Jennifer Sewell, Sarah Cato, Nancy Newton, Patsy Ward, Matt Marshall, Brooke Looney, Ami Phillips, Jennifer Bourne and Debi Long and anyone else I may have missed that dropped what they were doing and helped a campus in need on Friday. It truly was wonderful to see so many of you come and help some of our students with the greatest needs and see the relationships built with students and our TISD community! You all are what makes us #TeamTomball! #StarsofSpecialServices!!!
Audra Arnold & Brianne Carbery - shout out for all the work on HouseBill 3928 and for assisting with welcoming and training our newest member of Special Services and taking on so many extra duties during this time.
Social Media: Twitter
More Information
Be sure and check out and read the other Smore Newsletters being produced by Student Support Staff Soon (links are to end of year last year, but will update once school year starts):
The LIP Ledger - new
The Specialized Support Snippits
PASSionate about Kids - new
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.