HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-01-21-SEPAC-minLexington Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC)
Lexington Special Education Parent Teacher Association (SEPTA)
Business Meeting Minutes
January 21, 2021
Attendees: Colette Powell, Carissa Black, Carol Webb, Rian Chen, Roseanne Bonardi, Kelli Eggsware, Heidi Mann, Mona Roy,
Marina Bertram, Christy Waller, Bronte Abraham, Scott Bokun, Susannah Hoch, Reiko Miyagawa, Nicole Locher, Christine
Halikias, Victoria Buckley, Monica Davis, Ioana Santau, Larry Freeman, Sara Cuthbertson, Fang Liu, Myriam Wright
Called to order: 7:09 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.
Adjourned: 9:15 pm
Approval of minutes from 11/19/20 meeting:
Moved, seconded and approved.
Guest: Kate DeAngelis, Therapeutic Recreation Specialist from Lexington Recreation and Community Programs, outlined plans
for inclusive summer programming.
Officer reports:
Co-Chair Report: (Carissa and Colette)
o Holiday Gifts. SPED staff appreciated the decorated doughnuts. Would like ideas for spring.
o Quarterly Meeting with LPS Special Education Administration. The District met their deadline of Dec. 15 to contact
high needs kids to offer compensatory services. Deadline for completion of services is summer 2022. LPS has
contracted with Easter Seals to provide some services. Discussed potential collaboration with Lexington
Recreation in summer 2022 to envelop inclusive summer camp in the afternoons following elementary extended
school year day. The Inclusion Community Input Team (Colette, Carissa, Bronte, Sara and Larry) has resumed
meeting and is discussing what inclusion can look like in a hybrid/remote learning environment. Requested that
the Dyslexia Task Force resume following new state guidance on screening for dyslexia.
o Understanding Our Differences program will run in the spring at the elementary schools with Intellectual and
Learning Disabilities and Deafness/Hard of Hearing units.
o Held a separate meeting with Johnny Cole (LPS Director of Equity and Student Supports) and Tracey Comte
(Supervisor of Special Education at LHS) to discuss issues at the high school and potential solutions. LHS has
invited more than 50 SPED students to attend full-time, and parents should contact their ETS if they’d like their
student considered. In-person services will begin in February, including extra Friday afternoon IA support for kids
who request it. Principal Stephens has sent a letter emphasizing that teachers be extra vigilant about kids in SPED,
particularly 9th graders. Not possible to hold I Blocks on Friday afternoons this year because that is contracted
teacher planning time. Tech department says it’s not possible to turn on parent access to Google Classroom
specifically for parents of kids in Special Ed.
Treasurer: (Roseanne)
o Current balance of $12,508.
o $7,820 in dues has been taken in so far this school year.
Membership: (Maria)
o 164 members currently, up 9% from the beginning of the school year.
School Committee liaisons had no updates.
Human Rights Committee/Special Ed. Discipline Data (Mona):
o Data collected in 2019-2020 school year (until March) showed 6 reported incidents of bullying, but none legally
actionable. Implementing restorative practices.
o SPED kids 5 times more likely (7 times at LHS) than other students to face disciplinary action.
o Black kids are 6.8 times more likely to be disciplined.
o Numbers are creeping up every year.
Lexington Commission on Disability (Victoria Buckley):
o The Commission is bringing a full inclusion resolution to spring Town Meeting with a broadened definition to
include neurodiversity, emotional and mental disability. Asked SEPAC to provide language for the resolution.
School Liaison Updates:
o Estabrook (Rian): TLP director has check-in meetings on Zoom that currently aren’t well-attended. Need to
publicize more.
Support Group Updates.
o Dyslexia Support Group has met. (Nicole)
Upcoming Events:
o Business Meetings: March 18, 2021; May 20, 2021; 7-8:30 pm via Zoom.
o School-based Coffees will be scheduled prior to April break.
o Support Group Meetings: IDD meeting February 10.
o LPS Special Education Spring Q&A, TBD
o School Committee liaison meeting April 1.
o Anxiety/Stress Speaker or other topics? TBD
o Staff Awards? TBD