Winter Meetings Parents Thu, 12/11 7:30-9:30PM Calvary Contact Us: [email protected]

Winter Meetings

ParentsThu, 12/11 7:30-9:30PM

Calvary

Contact Us:www.allendalesepac.org

[email protected]

http://www.Allendalesepac.org/

2

Agenda

Your SEPAC

News & Events

I&RS Terminology and Processes

SEPAC Goals, Measures and Objectives

Question and Answer

Networking

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Executive Committee

Suzanne Bussetti

Jessica Downes, Secretary

Michael Flom, President

Aileen Gramsch

Eileen Guffin

Jim Lockard

Christina Montanye

Joanna O’Toole

Lynn-Marie Peare, Vice President

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Mission

The Allendale Special Education Parents Advisory Committee (Allendale SEPAC) provides advice and input to the District on Special Services.

The SEPAC works towards gaining the respect, support, and appropriate education for all children with special needs in our District and to ensure that students' needs under N.J.A.C. 6A:14, 6A:16, Section 504, I.D.E.A. and other applicable laws are being met.

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Goals

Our Goal is to establish a productive partnership between Allendale District and the SEPAC so that:

Parent Feedback and input on Special Services, including I&RS, Remedial programs, 504 and IEP services and parent education is constructively received and acted upon.

The SEPAC serves as a resource to the the District for planning, development and evaluation of Special Services.

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News & Events

Evening Meeting, Thu Dec 11, Calvary

Annual Parent Survey

I&RS Briefing for Staff

Ellen Hillman, Allendale Ambulance Corp.

Workshops (e.g. Yoga)

Student Profile

Parent Meeting Exit Survey

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Student Profile

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Parent Meeting Exit Questionnaire

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Parent Meeting Exit Questionnaire

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Intervention and Referral Services

Processes and Terminology

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2014-15 Goals and Objectives

And initial survey results

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Draft Goals

Promote trust between parents and the District

Improve the timeliness, proactiveness, and candidness of communication between every level of parents, teachers and staff

Improve the effectiveness of early identification of children's needs

Follow-up to ensure the effectiveness of interventions

Ensure parents, teachers, and staff are instructed in and understand the process terminology, and eligibility criteria for the Continuum of Services

Comments/Others?

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Measures Annual parent survey, parent treatment/trust question. District meeting exit survey, at the minimum questions 2-6

(honesty/credibility, listened to, addressed concerns, etc.)

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Objectives Achieve an average rating of agree, or satisfied (3 on a 7 point scale),

or higher on the trust question of the annual parent survey for the following segments by end of year 2014-15 All parents, Hillside, Brookside, Parents of: I&RS, 504, Students with

IEP’s Achieve a rating of agree, or satisfied (2 on a 5 point scale) on the

District meeting exit survey, for the average of responses in June, 2015. Achieve an average of Doing Very Well, (3 on the 7 point scale) for the

following areas on the annual parent survey) by the end of year 2014-15: Special Services Department, Administration.

for the following segments: All parents, Hillside, Brookside, Parents of: I&RS, 504, Students with

IEP’s

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Goals Questionnaire ResultsSo far…

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What is the importance of each of the following goals to you?

12/3/1416Weighted Average: 10.0 is maximum

Promote trust between parents and the district




Ensure that parents, teachers and staff are instructed and understand on the process terminology and criteria for the Continuum of Services

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0

7.8

6.8

7.1

7.0

6.4

All Respondents








0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0

7.6

7.2

7.9

7.4

6.9

8.2

6.5

6.4

6.4

5.7

Parents-Teachers

Teacher or Service Provider

Parent


12/3/1418Difference between weighted average, 9 is maximum

E-mailingsParents 11/19Erratum 11/19Parent Reminder 12/1District 12/3Parent Reminder 12/9

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1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0 8.2

6.5 6.4 6.4 5.7

7.5

5.8 6.7

5.8

7.0 7.8 7.5

8.5 7.5

6.8

TeachersParents 12/3-12/8Parents before 12/3



7.6 7.27.9 7.4 6.9

8.2

6.5 6.4 6.45.7

8.5 8.0 8.0 8.0

6.06.5

3.54.5

7.5 7.07.8

6.8 7.1 7.06.4

ParentTeacher or Service ProviderStaff Member (Special Services Dept. Member, Child Study Team Member, Aide, Consultant)Administrator (BOE Member, Superintendent, Principal, Supervisor)All


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Parent (**likely District employee)

1. It is of the utmost importance to feel like we are working together with the same interests...what's best for my child.

No more of the feeling of "us vs them." I'm tired of fighting for what my child is entitled to and feel for those who don't

have the fight in them due to being kept in the dark or simply a softer personality.

* I have friends from childhood and college who are teachers/work in schools that have been in the profession for 8+

years. When I talk with them and share how my child's teachers and staff members are being treated they are both

saddened, surprised, and disgusted to hear the stories I've heard from around town. My husband and I fully support the

staff in their efforts to provide our child with an appropriate and attentive education. I truly hope that because my

comment is not one filled with slander, animosity, and belittling of the Allendale educational staff members (like I'm

sure some may want) that it is still heard and taken deeply into consideration. Thank you.

* To have knowledgeable people write this survey. I tried to change my answer and now some have more than one

response. So frustrated that my opinion is not counting. I am so tired that a few loud mouths who are misguided, self-

serving, and off-the-mark on how to solve conflicts are hijacking my children's school!

4. It is forcing me to always pick a different number...I cannot choose the same # rating scale for more than one

question. Results will not be valid if all are having this issue. Most of these goals are low for us as we feel they are

already being met. See below.

5. All of these are 10 for me. They are all dependent on each other.

Teacher or Service Provider, Staff Member, Administrator

No responses

What other comments do you have about any of the above goals? Please identify the goal(s) when responding.

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Identifying real needs early and having early intervention that addresses each child's method of learning is so much more academically effective and cost effective than just sticking every kid in basic skills until high cost and ineffective measures are used in upper middle school - hello!!!!!

In regard to all the goals, the addition of Sheryl Centrelli as consultant is an excellent decision, after of course the decision to get rid of Campion. The administration including the BOE and superintendent need to realize that their decisions and policies and practices have created the mess that is special education in this district. They have a lot to do to change the perception of them as people who don't care about special ed kids and families. Actions speak louder than words. Skeptical that the board and superintendent wouldn't rather special ed kids all move out of town. They should be saying "there but for the grace of God go I", and doing everything in their power to help kids with special needs. We'll see what really changes.

School did a great job before the interventions began, letting me and my wife know when they began and all the way through. I can imagine they can get better but they do so much for so many and satisfied parents don't get our voice heard often enough. We imagine all this "noise" has taken time away from the schools being able to help more kids. What a shame..

What other comments do you have about any of the above goals? Please identify the goal(s) when responding.

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* who made this survey? It does not work properly; once a number is selected it can not be changed or erased. The results should not be considered meaningful because it does not allow user to review responses for accuracy. It is terrible the amount of time spent on this and the information being analyzed is not accurate. What a SHAME!

* This survey was made so poorly. Why am I only allowed to click one number once?? That makes no sense. So if I want to mark a 4 for two answers, I'm not allowed? Some of my answers are therefore left blank because of this. It's clear that there is little validity and reliability to both the survey and the people who made this. I hope there wasn't much time spent creating it.

Cheryl + Joanne + Bruce = Moe + Larry + Curley.

While all of these goals are important, I am confident in asserting that most of these goals are attained on a daily basis within the school setting.As the colums as weel as the rows are blocked to multiple choice I selected the goals in order of importance to me.

see above (Utmost importance)

Appendix-Measures and Objectives

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24Improve the timeliness, proactiveness, and candidness of communication between every level of parents, teachers and staff

Measures Parent Meeting Exit Survey

Question #2: The District Staff acted in a professional and forthright manner, discussing my child’s strengths and interventions to address my child’s needs (candidness)

Question #3: The District staff listened, understood and valued my concerns and requests (part of proactiveness)

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Improve the timeliness, proactiveness, and candidness of communication between every level of parents, teachers and staff*

Measures* Annual Parent Survey

Question #7: changed to “Teachers, aides, staff and contractored service providers (e.g. O/T, P/T, Speech Therapy) proactively and candidly COMMUNICATE with parents.”

Question #6: EXPLANATION of interventions, programs, modifications and services.

New question: “Did you receive response(s) to your requests within 5 business days, acknowledgement within one business day, and execution of agreed upon action items on schedule [ ] 100% of time [ ] 75% of time or more [ ] 50% or more [ ] 25% or more [ ] 10% or less”

New question: “Were you appropriately* informed of events/incidents involving your child*? [ ] 100% of time [ ] 75% of time or more [ ] 50% or more [ ] 25% or more [ ] 10% or less; Per Rubric in Objectives

Comments from the above Surveys.

* Draft Measures and Objectives from SEPAC XC Committee meeting subject to Superintendent, etc. review

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Objectives* After any request (telephone, in-person, written, e-mail),

acknowledgement of request within 1 business day and an appropriate response within 5 business days and (Measured by a rating of 75% or more in new Appropriate Response Question in Annual Parent Survey). In the event of a legitimate automatic vacation/absence notice, the addressee shall respond within the above timeframes when they return from an absence or vacation.

Parents are informed of events/incidents/changes involving their child according to the following:

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* Being reviewed vs. bus notification rules

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Objectives A positive rating (2 on a 5 point scale, to Question #7 on the

Annual Parent Survey. Teachers/staff are encouraged to voice opinions to parents

in meetings, including IEP, parent/teacher conferences, and vice versa, even if they are dissenting/contrary to the District’s recommendation (Measure is annual teacher/staff survey)

Majority of comments on related questions from above surveys are positive.

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Measures Annual Parent survey question

re Child Find, I&RS, 504/IEP Identification/Referral Annual Parent survey question (to be added) re in-class interventions Comments from annual parent survey, meeting exit surveys, and

SEPAC Meetings about identification and especially early identification.

Objectives Achieve a Doing very well (2 on a 7 point scale) on all of the above

surveys, with less than 20% of responses having negative comments, by June of 2014/15.

Create a baseline and improvement measurement system by December 2014 that allows construction of specific early intervention goals for each segment: Out of District Child Find, In District Child Find, Early Classroom

intervention, Out of class-room interventions, I&RS, 504, IEP

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Measures Parent Meeting Exit Survey Annual Parent Survey Comments from annual parent survey, meeting exit

surveys, and SEPAC Meetings about identification and especially early identification.

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Objectives

At least an agree (2 on a 5 point scale) on Question 6 of Meeting Exit Survey (“I understand the plan for services to provide to help my child”)

At least a “Doing well” (5 on a 7 point scale) on current Question 6 and Question 7 of the Annual Parent Survey for the average and each of the following interventions: I&RS, BSI, 504 Plan, Individualized Education Plan (IEP), SPEECH/Language

Therapy, Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT), Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

Counseling, Multi-sensory Reading, Special Education, Aides, Communications, Social Skills., High School Transition

Extended School Year, Summer Transition, After school Homework Help, Out of District Placement

Health Office Services, Assistive Technology

In total, more Positive comments than negative ones (including mixed positive and negative) from annual parent survey, meeting exit surveys, and SEPAC Meetings

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Objectives

At least an agree (2 on a 5 point scale) on Question 6 of Meeting Exit Survey (“I understand the plan for services to provide to help my child”)

At least a “Doing well” (5 on a 7 point scale) on current Question 6 and Question 7 of the Annual Parent Survey for the average and each of the following interventions: I&RS, BSI, 504 Plan, Individualized Education Plan (IEP), SPEECH/Language

Therapy, Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT), Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

Counseling, Multi-sensory Reading, Special Education, Aides, Communications, Social Skills., High School Transition

Extended School Year, Summer Transition, After school Homework Help, Out of District Placement

Health Office Services, Assistive Technology

In total, more Positive comments than negative ones (including mixed positive and negative) from annual parent survey, meeting exit surveys, and SEPAC Meetings about identification and especially early identification.

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33Ensure parents, teachers, and staff are instructed in

and understand the process terminology, and eligibility criteria for the Continuum of Services.

Measures Parent Meeting Exit Survey Annual Parent Survey

Objectives Deliver consistent training modules or related resource reference for the Continuum of

Services (including in-class interventions, I&RS, 504, and Special Ed) that cover the process, terminology, and eligibility criteria in a self-guided format that can also be presented by an instructor.

Ensure parents are directed by District staff to the training modules within x business days of initiating a question or y business days before they have a meeting with the District about any aspect of the Continuum of Services for their child.( In conjunction with goal number two, communication).

A positive rating (2 or more on a 5 point scale) on Parent Exit Meeting Survey questions #6 ( I understand the plan for services for my child) and #1 (The District helped me prepare for this meeting).

A positive rating (3 or more on a 7 point scale) from a new question on the annual parent survey: Do you understand the process, terminology and eligibility criteria for the

Continuum of Services?

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12/3/1434Difference between weighted average, 9 is maximum






-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2

Parent v. TeacherParent 12/3 to 12/8

E-mailingsParents 11/19Erratum 11/19Parent Reminder 12/1District 12/3Parent Reminder 12/9

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Q&A

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7. Networking

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Thank you!Allendale SEPAC

[email protected]

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Documents

Winter Meetings Parents Thu, 12/11 7:30-9:30PM Calvary Contact Us: [email protected]