HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-01-14 Speical Education Parent Advisory Council Minutes r&424
Town of Reading
Meeting MinutesU
T01N CLERK
R ^ I N!A.
Board - Committee - Commission - Council: Raz.
Special Education Parents Advisory Council
2020 MAR I I PM 4: 12
Date: 2020-01-14 Time: 7:00 PM
Building: School - Memorial High Location: School Library
Address: 62 Oakland Road Session:
Purpose: Business Meeting Version:
Attendees: Members - Present:
Maria Morgan
Laura Noonan
Alyssa Scaparotti
Amy Stewart
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Leslie Leslie, Federation of Children with Special Needs
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Amy Stewart
Topics of Discussion:
Call to Order Maria Morgan called the meeting to order at 7: 03
PM. Maria Morgan chaired the meeting.
Leslie Leslie of the Federation for Children with Special Needs
presented on "The Role of the SEPAC. "
Public Cooment
Cate Zannino, Children' s Librarian at Reading Public Library,
stated that the library is seeking suggestions from the SEPAC
community for programming ideas and ways the library can be
inclusive. A discussion followed brainstorming the following
suggestions: purchasing and promotion of books featuring
children with differing abilities and offering internship or job
opportunities to students and/or adults with disabilities. The
library' s existing program of monthly Sensory Storytimes was
recommended by Amy Stewart and she encouraged families to attend
as there often is low turnout.
Old Business
Maria Morgan stated that Understanding Disabilities (UD) is
hosting a community forum on February 6, 2020 at Killam
elementary school. The purpose of the forum is to discuss UD' s
long-term viability and need for community financial and
organizational support. Thanks to a generous donation by the
Whitelaw family, UD has funding to operate in the 2020-2021
school year. UD has published volunteer job descriptions with
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Town of Reading
Meeting Minutes
estimated time commitments in an effort to encourage
participation.
Laura Noonan reported that the SEPAC will host a parent social
on March 5, 2020, at 7 pm at the restaurant Biltmore & Main. A
parent support group meeting has not yet been scheduled.
Laura Noonan reported that the next SEPAC business meeting will
be a day time meeting scheduled for Feb. 26, 2020 at 10 AM at
the Reading Public Library in the conference room.
Maria Morgan reported that the SEPAC will host a general meeting
on Feb. 11, 2020 at 7 PM in the RMHS library where the Basic
Rights workshop titled, "Understanding the IEP" will be
presented by Beth Bostic of the Federation for Children with
Special Needs.
Upon motion, which was seconded, the Board unanimously approved
the draft minutes from the SEPAC meeting on December 10, 2019.
Nen Business
Dr. Jennifer Stys, Director of Student Services, reported that
the district is soliciting feedback from caregivers on draft
descriptions for the district' s special education program. The
district has published the draft descriptions on the Student
Services website, as well as, survey links to provide feedback.
The surveys will available to February 1, 2020.
Dr. Stys reported that Andrew Mackenzie of DESE reported that
DESE received 114 TFM survey responses from caregivers in
Reading and that this constituted a high response rate. It was
reported that less than twelve individuals did not get the
survey when it was initially sent out but that this was
corrected. DESE spent two days reviewing district files and
Mackenzie stated that he was pleased to see that the
documentation indicated that the district replied every time to
caregivers' rejections or concerns about proposed IEPs. The TFM
results may be published anytime between 3 weeks and several
months. In three years, Reading will undergo the TFM monitoring
process for cohort B - civil rights.
Upon motion, seconded, the Board voted to table School Committee
liaison Jeanne Borawski' s update due to time constraints. Ms.
Boraski offered to speak to any attendees after the meeting.
Michelle Sanphy, SEPAC member budget liaison, encouraged SEPAC
community to attend Jan. 16th and Jan. 23rd school committee
meetings and sit together. Proposed budgets for special
education cost center and general education cost center will be
presented on Jan. 16th. Public questions and school committee
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Meeting Minutes
deliberation of the proposed budget are scheduled for Jan. 23rd.
Both meetings begin at 7 PM and are held in the RMHS library.
Maria Morgan reported that a SEPAC curated list of Plan 509
resources have been published on the SEPAC' s website.
Laura Noonan presented a caregiver' s request to publish dates
for extended school year (ESY) on the district calendar. A
discussion followed as to whether including the information on
the district calendar would be helpful or confusing to families.
Confusion about the different types of summer services, i.e.
ESY, Title 1, English Language Learners, also was noted. Dr.
Stys confirmed that 2020 ESY will start on Monday, July 6th and
run for five weeks, four days a week. ESY services vary based
on the individual student' s needs as determined by the IEP team.
Upon motion, seconded, the Board unanimously approved the
adjornment of the meeting at 9: 15 PM
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