Tuesday, December 10, 2013
HINGHAM SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL (SEPAC)
Hingham Public Schools
Hingham Public Library, Fearing Room, 66 Leavitt St., Hingham, MA 02043
Meeting Agenda
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. – Informal social – opportunity for attendees to meet and converse
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Monthly Meeting to discuss SEPAC business
Audience comments are always welcome as agenda items are discussed.
1. Acceptance of Minutes from April 8th, 2014
2. General Q&A for items that may not be on the agenda
3. Update from Director of Student Services
4. Update from School Committee Liaison
5. Sharing with School PTO Liaisons
6. Treasury Report
7. Other Items as may not reasonably be known within 48 hours of the meeting
8. Announcements & Adjournment:
a. Next SEPAC meeting will be back at the Library – Tuesday, June 10th
Upcoming SEPAC Events:
May 15th, Mother Nature’s Child movie screening and presentation, Plymouth River School, 7 pm
May 27th, SEPAC Board Elections 10 -12 pm and 5 to 7 pm, School Department Conference Room
(Audience comments are always welcome as agenda items are discussed. Attendees are encouraged to attend the 30-minute social prior to the start of the board meeting to address matters not related to the agenda.)
Audience comments are always welcome as agenda items are discussed.
1. Acceptance of Minutes from November 12th, 2013
2. General Q&A for items that may not be on the agenda
3. Director of Student Services’ Report
4. Update from School Committee Liaison
5. Sharing with School PTO Liaisons
6. Treasury Report
7. Subcommittees
a. School Committee and HPS Administration agenda
b. Special Education Sitemap
c. Events/Presentations
d. Support Group
8. New Business
a. HSPS – Collaboration, Spring season class kick-off anticipated
9. Old Business
a. Fun Run/Walk 2014 planning
b. Dr. Epstein Presentation on Collaborate Problem Solving Nov. 20th
c. Article for Hingham Journal
10.Communications/General Inquiries
11.Other Items as may not reasonably be known within 48 hours of the meeting
12.Announcements & Adjournment:
a. Next SEPAC meeting – Tuesday, January 14th
Meeting Minutes
Present: Board Members: Marisa Ronan, Sonja Finney; School Liaisons Kerry Ni; School Committee Liaisons Liza O’Reilly and Ed Schreier.
A thirty minute social preceded the business portion of the meeting.
The meeting was called to order at 10:30 a.m.
The minutes from November 12, 2013 were accepted.
Question and Answer Session: No discussion.
Director of Student Services: No report.
School Committee Liaison Report:
Ed Schreier and Liza O’Reilly are familiar with SEPAC and Hingham Sports Partnership’s (HSP) effort to create programming for children with special needs and other interested children. SEPAC will send out an electronic survey to assess interest in programming. Dr. Galo and the school committee are discussing the establishment of a trust fund to hold education budget surpluses for possible future budget overages. The town may act on this at town meeting, or the state may enact legislation to enable it. The school committee will vote on a technology plan next week. Also, HPS will refine its website and SEPAC should submit its information (both content and website accessibility to it).
SEPAC PTO Liaisons:
Kerry reported that the South PTO was receptive to the idea of a “Buddy Bench.” General discussion about implementing the “Buddy Bench” idea ensued.
Treasury Report: SEPAC account balance is $10,837.64.
SEPAC Subcommittees:
School Committee and HPS Administration: No report.
Special Education Site Map: The group will meet in January.
Events/Presentations: SEPAC approved the cost to sponsor a social skills presentation by Katie Shamitz, director of “Skills for Living” in Norwell. The cost is $250.
Support Group: No meeting is planned over the winter break. The group discussed hosting the next meeting at restaurant or coffee shop, either during the day or evening.
New Business:
SEPAC is working with HSP to develop a 501(c)(3) (IRS code) entity to create and fund recreational and athletic opportunities for children with special needs and other interested children. The group hopes to begin programming in spring 2014.
Old Business:
Fun Run/Walk: May 3, 2014. Planning is underway.
Dr. Larry Epstein Presentation: On November 20, Dr. Larry Epstein presented on “Think Differently” a collaborative problem solving approach to challenging behaviors. Approximately 30-35 people attended and $55 was raised in donations. Marisa reported some issues with the East School as a presentation site.
SEPAC Article to the Hingham Journal: Danie is awaiting information about the number of students on IEPs to include in the article (in order to increase the public’s understanding of the SEPAC population).
Other items as may not be reasonably known within 48 hours of the meeting: SEPAC briefly discussed the next newsletter mailing date (January 2014). There was discussion about offering workshops for primary, secondary and post-secondary transitions.
Communications: “Thinking Outside the Classroom” (executive function coaches) offered a free presentation. SEPAC is considering putting it on the fall schedule.
Announcements/Calendar:
- Next SEPAC meeting is January 14, 2014. Social starts at 10 a.m., business meeting starts at 10:30 a.m.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:00 p.m.
HINGHAM SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL (SEPAC)
Hingham Public Schools
Hingham Public Library, Fearing Room, 66 Leavitt St., Hingham, MA 02043
Meeting Agenda
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. – Informal social – opportunity for attendees to meet and converse
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Monthly Meeting to discuss SEPAC business
Audience comments are always welcome as agenda items are discussed.
1. Acceptance of Minutes from April 8th, 2014
2. General Q&A for items that may not be on the agenda
3. Update from Director of Student Services
4. Update from School Committee Liaison
5. Sharing with School PTO Liaisons
6. Treasury Report
7. Other Items as may not reasonably be known within 48 hours of the meeting
8. Announcements & Adjournment:
a. Next SEPAC meeting will be back at the Library – Tuesday, June 10th
Upcoming SEPAC Events:
May 15th, Mother Nature’s Child movie screening and presentation, Plymouth River School, 7 pm
May 27th, SEPAC Board Elections 10 -12 pm and 5 to 7 pm, School Department Conference Room
(Audience comments are always welcome as agenda items are discussed. Attendees are encouraged to attend the 30-minute social prior to the start of the board meeting to address matters not related to the agenda.)
Audience comments are always welcome as agenda items are discussed.
1. Acceptance of Minutes from November 12th, 2013
2. General Q&A for items that may not be on the agenda
3. Director of Student Services’ Report
4. Update from School Committee Liaison
5. Sharing with School PTO Liaisons
6. Treasury Report
7. Subcommittees
a. School Committee and HPS Administration agenda
b. Special Education Sitemap
c. Events/Presentations
d. Support Group
8. New Business
a. HSPS – Collaboration, Spring season class kick-off anticipated
9. Old Business
a. Fun Run/Walk 2014 planning
b. Dr. Epstein Presentation on Collaborate Problem Solving Nov. 20th
c. Article for Hingham Journal
10.Communications/General Inquiries
11.Other Items as may not reasonably be known within 48 hours of the meeting
12.Announcements & Adjournment:
a. Next SEPAC meeting – Tuesday, January 14th
Meeting Minutes
Present: Board Members: Marisa Ronan, Sonja Finney; School Liaisons Kerry Ni; School Committee Liaisons Liza O’Reilly and Ed Schreier.
A thirty minute social preceded the business portion of the meeting.
The meeting was called to order at 10:30 a.m.
The minutes from November 12, 2013 were accepted.
Question and Answer Session: No discussion.
Director of Student Services: No report.
School Committee Liaison Report:
Ed Schreier and Liza O’Reilly are familiar with SEPAC and Hingham Sports Partnership’s (HSP) effort to create programming for children with special needs and other interested children. SEPAC will send out an electronic survey to assess interest in programming. Dr. Galo and the school committee are discussing the establishment of a trust fund to hold education budget surpluses for possible future budget overages. The town may act on this at town meeting, or the state may enact legislation to enable it. The school committee will vote on a technology plan next week. Also, HPS will refine its website and SEPAC should submit its information (both content and website accessibility to it).
SEPAC PTO Liaisons:
Kerry reported that the South PTO was receptive to the idea of a “Buddy Bench.” General discussion about implementing the “Buddy Bench” idea ensued.
Treasury Report: SEPAC account balance is $10,837.64.
SEPAC Subcommittees:
School Committee and HPS Administration: No report.
Special Education Site Map: The group will meet in January.
Events/Presentations: SEPAC approved the cost to sponsor a social skills presentation by Katie Shamitz, director of “Skills for Living” in Norwell. The cost is $250.
Support Group: No meeting is planned over the winter break. The group discussed hosting the next meeting at restaurant or coffee shop, either during the day or evening.
New Business:
SEPAC is working with HSP to develop a 501(c)(3) (IRS code) entity to create and fund recreational and athletic opportunities for children with special needs and other interested children. The group hopes to begin programming in spring 2014.
Old Business:
Fun Run/Walk: May 3, 2014. Planning is underway.
Dr. Larry Epstein Presentation: On November 20, Dr. Larry Epstein presented on “Think Differently” a collaborative problem solving approach to challenging behaviors. Approximately 30-35 people attended and $55 was raised in donations. Marisa reported some issues with the East School as a presentation site.
SEPAC Article to the Hingham Journal: Danie is awaiting information about the number of students on IEPs to include in the article (in order to increase the public’s understanding of the SEPAC population).
Other items as may not be reasonably known within 48 hours of the meeting: SEPAC briefly discussed the next newsletter mailing date (January 2014). There was discussion about offering workshops for primary, secondary and post-secondary transitions.
Communications: “Thinking Outside the Classroom” (executive function coaches) offered a free presentation. SEPAC is considering putting it on the fall schedule.
Announcements/Calendar:
- Next SEPAC meeting is January 14, 2014. Social starts at 10 a.m., business meeting starts at 10:30 a.m.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:00 p.m.
