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Board -Committee -Commission -Council:
2022 JAN 13 AM 11: 36
Special Education Parents Advisory Council
Date: 2021-10-12 Time: 7:00 PM
Building: School - Memorial High Location: School Library
Address: 62 Oakland Road Session: Open Session
Purpose: Business Meeting Version: Final
Attendees: Members - Present:
prior to elections: Alyssa Scaparotti
Laura Noonan
Amy Stewart (chair for meeting)
after elections: Kelly Comma (new chair)
Members - Not Present:
N/A
Others Present:
Dr. Jennifer Stys, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services
Allison Wright, Director of Student Services
Erin Gaffen, SEPAL liaison
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Laura Noonan
Topics of Discussion:
Call to Order at 7:12 PM
SEPAC Board Elections. There was a discussion regarding the fad that there was only one election
candidate present for the election. It was determined that additional members can be added to the Executive
Board at a later date, including but not limited to the one additional candidate that already submitted their name
for election to the Executive Board. Stewart then handed off the meeting to the new SEPAC Chair, Kelly
Comma. The outgoing Executive Board provided the new Chair with information that she will need in order to
"mn the SEPAC", and indicated that she can reach out to the old Board for help.
Approval of meeting minutes from the June 80 meeting. Meeting minutes approved. Discussion of whether
or not to attach the minutes to the agenda in the future.
District and Student Services Update, including discussion on Welcome Kits and volunteers. Work is
ongoing putting the welcome kits together. Updates included: working on scope and sequence of programs,
working to pull in general education curriculum and align it with special education, working on program review
of the substantially separate programs (SAIL and REACH) with literacy specialist to go into programs. Looking
at social emotional support with Covid funding. Outside contractors (SEAM, Consortium, and NEC) evaluating
some programs (staffing ratio, materials, etc.)
The staff went over the acronyms for the special education programs.
The district will be sending out fors to all families to fill out pertaining to Medicaid. There is a component of
Medicaid that requests that the school asks any parent and student that has Medicaid if the family will allow
that their Medicaid policy be billed for services provided by the district. The district will get a percentage of their
money back if the fors are filled out. The district will be sending out the forms to all parents, for anonymous
purposes. For only needs to be filled out once, and they can revoke. It will not be a requirement that families
fill out this for.
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Update on health and wellness committee. Looking at all policies and procedures for consistency across the
district.
November 30'" will be the third reading presentation. They are grounding it all on Scarborough's Reading Rope,
the instructional profile of each strand and how you will see it implemented in classrooms across the district.
Working with Understanding Disabilities to try to help continue to support them.
Presentation by Understanding Disabilities: Who they are and curriculum information about what they do in
the schools, and also a call for volunteers.
Parent share and discussion of recreational opportunities.
Wilmington Beyond TOPS Soccer.
Challenger hockey in Woburn.
Special Skates in Reading (unclear whether it will be held, perhaps in January).
Communitas used to provide adaptive recreational opportunities in conjunction with Reading Rec, but not since
Communitas moved to Woburn.
Widening the Circle through the Arc of Mass.
Perhaps SEPAC (and other nearby SEPACS) could help with advertising for Reading Rec if they came up with
an adaptive program.
Discussion of how the district can help with some adaptive programs- unified sports at High School level so
students receiving special ad can participate in sports.
Flag football in Stoneham (NFL League) for ages 5-14.
Public Comment SEPAC Parent, Mana Morgan volunteered to coordinate the SEPAC tree at the Festival of
Trees this year. Also, a thank you to the outgoing SEPAC Board members for their two years served on the
SEPAC Executive Board.
Action Items: New Board member will set up SEPAC email address and update the SEPAC website
pertaining to Board member name and email address. Post approved minutes from the June 2021 meeting.
Meeting Adjourned at 8:50 PM
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