SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL

(SPEDPAC)

GROTON DUNSTABLE REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

BUSINESS MEETING

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

MEETING MINUTES

 

Officers Present:             Nancy Bugbee, President

(sign in attached)                  Sarah Campbell, Vice President

                                          Maryanne Squeglia, Treasurer

                                          Melissa Sweeny, Secretary

Members Present:          Lisa McLaughlin, GD SpedPAC web site administrator

Staff Present:                   None

 

Meeting Location:           Middle School North Library, Groton, MA

 

Nancy Bugbee, President, called the meeting to order at 10:15 AM.

I.    Acceptance of Minutes from April 16, 2008 Meeting

The minutes were reviewed.  Maryanne Squeglia made a motion to accept the minutes from the 4/16/08 meeting.  Melissa Sweeny seconded the motion.  The minutes were unanimously approved.

II.   SpedPAC Account Update

Ms. Squeglia reports that the account balance is currently: $ 885.18. 

All 2007/08 Lecture Series grant money has been allotted for the remainder of the year.  The Groton Trust Funds should let us know soon on the status of next year’s grant money award.

The only outstanding expenses to be determined include possible reimbursement to Sarah Campbell and Ms. Sweeny for office supplies used in production of SpedPAC newsletters, reports, grant proposals, etc.

Donation was made in memory of Melody Orfei’s son to the CCHS radio station.

The SpedPAC bank account will remain at Northern Middlesex Bank.

 

III.  2007-08 & 2008-09 Lecture Series

A preliminary month-by-month schedule for the 2008-09 SpedPAC Business Meetings and Lecture Series was reviewed.  Tentative dates for the meetings and lectures were selected.  Ms. Bugbee will contact Dr. Genovese to confirm the September date for the ‘Evening with Dr. Genovese’ event.  Ms. Squeglia will contact Jim O’Loughlin and Mark Hennelly in the High School Guidance Department to set up a meeting to discuss a College Night in the fall.  SpedPAC Officers will contact potential speakers about tentative dates for the Lecture Series. 

Ms. Bugbee shared information on a potential speaker.  Joan Celebi offers a parent workshop entitled Overwhelmed No More! Strategies for Balanced Living …
for parents of children with special needs (www.specialneedsparentcoach.com).  The two hour workshop is $147.00.  The decision was unanimous to have Ms. Bugbee contact Ms. Celebi to set up a date to come to Groton next year.

An updated version of preliminary schedule for the 2008/09 SpedPAC Business Meetings and Lecture Series will be distributed at the SpedPAC’s Annual Business Meeting in June.

Tentative Business Meeting Schedule:

DATE

TIME

PLACE

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

7:00 – 9:00 PM

High School Library

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

10:00 – 11:30 AM

Middle School North

Library Project Room

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

7:00 – 9:00 PM

High School Library

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

10:00 – 11:30 AM

Middle School North

 Library Project Room

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

10:00 – 11:30 AM

Middle School North

Library Project Room

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

7:00 – 9:00 PM

High School Library

Tentative Lecture Series Schedule:

September:

Evening Business Meeting / Evening with Dr. Genovese   

October:

Joan Celebi, Overwhelmed No More!

College Night at the High School

November:

New Directions in Reading at GDRSD – Dr. Sandy Jones

December:

Dr. Jeffrey Bostic, Psychopharmacologist (12/9/08)

January:

Evening Business Meeting / Basic Rights (Federation Workshop)

February:

IEP Workshop (Federation)

March:

Understanding Test Scores – Joan Axelrod

April:

“Breaking Through” musical (Middle School assembly)

May:

(Open)

IV. SpedPAC Spring Newsletter

Lisa McLaughlin reported that article drafts from Ms. Squeglia and Ms. Sweeny have been received.  Ms. McLaughlin still require drafts from Ms. Bugbee and Ms. Campbell.  Ms. Sweeny will follow up with elementary school guidance staff on the status of their transition article.

The large articles will be 5-7 paragraphs.  The small articles will be 2-3 paragraphs.

V.  SpedPAC/School Roundtables - Update

Florence Roche has a Parent Roundtable scheduled for May 21st at 9:30am at The Lyceum at Gilson’s.  The flyer invites parents to discuss transition concerns in reference to the reallocation of students moving into and out of Florence Roche. 

The SpedPAC Officers questioned whether this Florence Roche Parent Roundtable would serve as the Sped Department’s outreach to the transitioning families.  Ms. Bugbee to follow up with Cam Huston, PPS Director, and Ruthann Goguen, Principal at Florence Roche.  Ms. Bugbee will also follow up on how this flyer will be distributed to Sped families.

VI. PAC By-laws

This topic was not discussed at this meeting.  It will be moved to the agenda for the next business meeting.

VII.            Annual SpedPAC Presentation – School Committee Meeting – May 21, 2008

The SpedPAC has decided to create a formal presentation packet to be distributed to all School Committee members outlining the SpedPAC’s mission, goals, accomplishments, and outreach programs.

Ms. Bugbee and Ms. Squeglia will meet May 9th to discuss the outline and figure out what information already exists and what will need to be created for the SpedPAC Presentation Packet.  The resulting outline will be distributed to fellow Officers and then Ms. Sweeny will meet with Ms. Bugbee and Ms. Squeglia on May 12th to discuss the format and create the presentation document.  The final document needs to be ready for copying and distribution to the School Committee no later than May 16th.

VIII.           Briefing RE: Transition & Reallocation Plans for Prescott/ Flo Ro Students

SpedPAC met with Ms. Huston, PPS Director, on Wednesday, April 30th to review specifics for children on education plans.  Ms. Huston and the SpedPAC agreed on the following Transition needs:

§                                 Student files should contain a summary sheet of most important items: services; accommodations; allergies; interventions; special considerations, etc.  This idea will be shared with the school principals because it will benefit ALL children, not just those on an IEP.

§                                 The transition process occurring in 2 steps:

1.       Principal Roundtable, Coffee or School Open House – Principal/Team Chair hosted event to introduce parents to sped teachers & specialists.  A letter will be sent to parents of IEP students transitioning to Flo Ro and SU.  Plan to schedule in early June.

2.       Team Chair/Parent Transition Meeting – student-specific meeting, similar to those done for Middle School/High School transitions, will be scheduled.  Plan to schedule late May/early June.

Invitations have been mailed to all IEP children moving into Florence Roche for the May 21st Parent Roundtable.  The SpedPAC Officers raised concern that there may be a conflict for Prescott IEP parents to attend this Roundtable because it is scheduled for the same day IEP meetings take place at Prescott – the only day the Prescott Team Chair is in District.  Ms. Bugbee will follow up with Prescott and Florence Roche Principals.  Nothing has been scheduled at Swallow Union yet.  Ms. Squeglia will contact Peter Myerson at SU for the date/time. 

IX.   Next Meeting Date with District Administration on May 20, 2008

The SpedPAC will use this meeting with the District Administration to discuss the SpedPAC’s Annual Presentation to the School Committee on May 21st and to discuss the status of summer services for qualifying IEP students.

Meeting ended at 12:15 PM.