HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-10-23 Speical Education Parent Advisory Council MinutesorR
Town of Reading
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Parent Advisory Council -�01e', j►N 22 P ��'.
Date: 2017-10-23
Building: School - Memorial High
Address: 62 Oakland Road
Purpose: Business Meeting.
Attendees: Members Present:
Sarah McLaughlin
Sarah Scaffidi
Terri Teixeira
Members - Not Present:
Time: 7:00.. PM -
Location: Superintendent Conference Room
Session: Open Session
Others Present: '
Carolyn Wilson, Director of Student Services
Craig Martin; Assistant Superintendent .
Allison Wright, Team Chair, Parker Middle School
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Terri Teixeira
Topics of Discussion:.
1. Call to Order: Sarah McLaughlin called the meeting to order at 6:33 PM.
2. Public Comment: A parent asked about SEPAC potentially hosting a tree for the REF
Festival of Trees in December. A subcommittee will be formed to work on the tree.
Melissa Davis volunteered to work on the subcommittee, with possible assistance from
Julie Wall (not present). Sarah Scaffidi will arrange for an email to be sent out asking for
parent participation/help.
Another parent asked about the lack of speech services at RMHS. Ms. Wilson reported
that she is making every effort to fill the position, but has not yet'been able to do so.
Parents will receive compensatory services when the position has been filled. In
addition, individual parents have the option to talk to her about potentially receiving
services outside the school.
3. Old Business:
a. Upcoming Meeting Dates:
October 26 --An IEP for My Child
November 14 - Lisa Studer BCBA
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In addition, a business meeting for November 13 was proposed. Sarah
Scaffidi will look into booking a room. Agenda item will include establishing
a parent networking group.
b. Meetink Minutes: Several meeting minutes need to be approved. This will be
placed on the agenda for next meeting. _J
4. New Business: Bridge Program Task Force - the Reading School Committee has asked
the SEPAC to facilitate parental involvement in the Bridge Program Task'Force.
Sarah McLaughlin -moved that we form a Bridge Program Subcommittee to
work on ideas for setting up the task force. Terri Teixeira seconded.
Parents who volunteered to be on -the Bridge Program Subcommittee included:
Sarah McLaughlin, Melissa Davis, Maura Looney, and Carissa Brady. This
subcommittee will determine how best to proceed. An email will be sent out to
parents and a larger task force/subcommittee will be created as needed.
5. Update from Director of Student Services: Ms. Wilson reviewed her Action Plan for -
Special Education (based on a 10/16/17 memo to the Reading School Committee):
• Grant funding is pending; will affect professional development plans,,
• Multi -tiered system of support to look at data to evaluate RPS work in education
• Looking for outside entity. evaluate the Bridge program (still looking for person or
organization); SEPAC parents expressed interest in hearing which evaluator has been
selected prior to their being hired, with Ms. Wilson suggesting that this would be
possible
Discussion of how to get more parent feedback on programs, perhaps through:
• Anonymous survey of parents, staff and perhaps students
• Research conducted by independent third party
Bridge Program subcommittee:
• To assess needs
• What support is needed from Reading Public Schools
• Consider representation at three levels: elementary, middle and high schools
• Proposed meeting on Sunday, October 29'10 AM (preliminary) to discuss action plan for
proceeding
S. MacLaughlin moved to adjourn at 8:23 PM. Seconded by T.
Teixeira.
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