The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2020-09-17-SEPAC-SEPTA-min Lexington Special Education Parent Advisory Council(SEPAC) Lexington Special Education Parent Teacher Association(SEPTA) Business Meeting Minutes September 17,2020 Attendees: Colette Powell,Carissa Black,Carol Webb,Maria Bertram,Sara Sheikh,Sarah Carter,Rian Chen,Scott Bokun,Robin Abrams,Sara Cuthbertson,Arvind Sudarsanam,Heidi Mann,Roseanne Bonardi,Mona Roy,Patricia Jacotin,Katrina Lawdis, Bronte Abraham,Amber Baker,Christy Waller,Daniel Nadelberg,Georgia Swann,Emma Harding,Lori Wright,Julie Leveen,Lisa Van Oossanen,Maya Bober,Juliana Lyman,Colleen Gallagher,Bryan Bertram,Rebecca Smerling,Helen Wennbo,faya,Tatiana, Lisa's 7R Call to order: 7:04 pm Location:Zoom Carissa read Governor Baker's Executive Order from March 12,2020,which allows public meetings to be conducted remotely due to the state emergency related to the COVID-19 outbreak. Adjourn: 8:44 pm Approval of minutes for 6/11/20 meeting: • Approved and seconded. Officer reports: • Co-Chair Report: (Carissa and Colette) o Welcomed everyone back to an unprecedented school year when many children have been without services for months. o Issued a call to renew membership and recruit new members. o Went over 2020-2021 Goals(outlined below).Said depending on school liaisons to communicate to SEPAC information regarding systemic concerns in their schools. o Interest group meetings (dyslexia support,intellectual and developmental disability support)and school coffees have occurred/are being scheduled.School-based coffees should have a Q&A portion. o Three events have already been held:Aug.12 Dan Heffernan"Current Status of Special Education During a Pandemic;"Aug.28 Q&A with Dr.Hackett and Ellen Sugita;Sept.2"Accessing State and Private Resources to Help Care for your Child." o Upcoming events include Sept.30 with Sarah Ward on executive function and remote learning; Dyslexic Children documentary and discussion,date TBD;Basic Rights Workshop,Understanding the IEP TBD;virtual Battle Green Run annual fundraiser Oct.25-Nov.1; Nov.11 School Committee liaisons Meet and Greet.Encouraged people to suggest other events.Have asked whether Ward can do similar executive function program for school staff. o School-based coffees are being scheduled over the next few weeks. o Parent support groups are starting up: Dyslexia Sept. 16 8-9:30; Intellectual and Developmental Disability Sept.23 7:30-9.Emma said autism group has a new leader and is close to finalizing a date. o Quarterly meetings with district and School Committee liaisons are scheduled.First one is Oct.7. o Meeting with the Association of Black Citizens of Lexington next week. o Working with district to implement the recommendations of the parent survey.Initial request is to issue progress reports in elementary earlier in the school year(fall)and not wait for first report cards. o SEPAC is represented on the Diversity,Equity and Inclusion input team. o Not sure yet how Understanding Our Differences program will be implemented during hybrid/remote learning. o SEPAC board voted on bylaws,which is required for PTOs every four years.Approved unanimously. • Treasurer: (Carissa and Roseanne) o Current balance of$12,354,but still need to pay$1,800 for Sarah Ward event. o In 2020 took in about$8,000 in membership dues and donations,and about$3,000 from fundraisers.Dues increase attributed in part to new membership portal. o For 2021 expect roughly$6,000 in dues and less than$4,000 from fundraisers. o Major 2021 expenses projected to be speakers/meetings,staff appreciation,filing fees. o Last year had a goal to spend down bank balance,but cancellation of spring events due to coronavirus resulted in money left over. • Membership: (Maria) 0 158 members in database but only 92 are active members.Lots of overdue membership renewals/dues. o Current activities to bring in new members: posting on Facebook groups; placing notice in the Colonial Times; asking special education service providers to refer people;representing SEPAC at school-based parent coffees. Discussed outreach to LexFun; dropping brochures at Lexington Children's Place;presentations to other community groups;possibly WhatsApp. o School-based parent coffees are responsibility of ETS's,and they invite all IEP parents to attend.SEPAC liaisons attend,and can announce in PTO newsletters,etc. School Committee Updates: (Scott) • No report because school just started. • Discussed whether Understanding Our Differences could be adapted for remote learning,including the possibility of involving school librarians and partnering with the Human Rights Committee. • Encouraged parents experiencing problems to talk to their ETS and Principal before reaching out to School Committee. School Liaison Introductions and Reports: • Lexington Public Schools SEPAC School Liaisons LHS Mona Roy,Robin Abrams,Carol Webb,Myriam Wright Clarke Sarah Carter,Tanya Stamoulis Diamond Deb Osber Bowman Lori Wright Bridge OPEN Estabrook Rian Chen Fiske Arvind Sudarsanam, Georgia Swann,Susannah Hoch Harrington Heidi Mann Hastings Christy Waller LCP (Lexington Children's Place) Jenna Martin Out of District Jenn Yaar School Committee Meeting Liaisons Georgia Swann,Arvind Sudarsanam,Bronte Abraham Transition OPEN • Colette thanked liaisons,who are the"eyes and ears"of SEPAC in their schools.Liaisons attend parent coffees,back-to- school events,PTA events and meetings,and help with Teacher Appreciation Week. • Still need Bridge liaison;asked for help in identifying a volunteer. • LHS (Carol,Robin,Mona and Bronte):Some students lack sufficient resource blocks/minutes in their schedules;questions about whether students can seek teacher support during the long lunch period(12:30-2:10)since I Block has been eliminated; administration has been silent to a lot of families and staff and there is a lot of confusion.Some LHS teachers are retiring or taking leaves of absence. • No school liaison reports from Clarke or Diamond. • Harrington(Heidi): Developmental Learning Program began well,with good safety protocols.Haven't heard an announcement for a parent coffee yet.Intellectual Disability and Developmental Disability support groups are scheduled to meet next week;invitations also sent to MS(Clarke)and LHS. • Fiske (Arvind):Back-to-school was seamless,but some remote parents want to know if/when remote OT services,etc.,will begin.Not seeing much inclusion happening. • Bowman(Lori):Cited an example in which inclusion time was working at Bowman during hybrid. • Estabrook(Rian):TLP is going fine so far,but she'll be checking with other parents. • Hastings(Christy):Staff had a big welcome for kids who attend fulltime.Asked how the district is planning to do more inclusion;right now the special ed.kids are very separate and she worries about stigmatization.Wondered whether the school could be more creative in mixing grades to include kids.Also asked what will happen when coronavirus cases increase and the district has to go fully remote again. Discussion with School Committee Members: • Elementary RLA classes too big; LHS is still hiring teachers.Sara said Dr.Hackett is looking at RLA class sizes and expects to fill empty slots within the next few weeks.Have to observe licensing requirements for subject areas.Scott encouraged patience for a week or so to shake out. • Suggestion to keep schools open for essential services if/when schools must go fully remote this fall/winter.Scott said it is a good idea but not sure it can be done. 2020-2021 Goals • We will continue to build on our partnership with the Central Administration and School Committee by continuing to advise on special education matters as it relates to remote learning and school reopening. • We will continue to provide resources and support for special education parents as it relates to remote learning and school reopening. • We will continue to broaden LexSEPAC/SEPTA'S presence and to increase LexSEPAC/SEPTA membership by building closer relationships with parent and community organizations throughout next year. • We will continue to work with the administration on implementation of the recommendations of the SEPAC 2019 Parent Survey. • We will continue to represent LexSEPAC/SEPTA as stakeholder on the Inclusion Community Input Team and the Diversity and Equity Community Input Team as part of the Diversity Equity and Inclusion work spearheaded by the district. • We will continue to work to support and expand Understanding Our Differences implementation across the district.