Tuesday, December 13, 2011, 10:00 a.m.
HINGHAM SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL (SEPAC)
Hingham Public Schools
Hingham Public Library, Fearing Room, 66 Leavitt St., Hingham, MA 02043
Meeting Agenda:
Introduction and Rules
Acceptance of Minutes: November 8, 2011
Treasurer’s Report:
Communications:
Questions & Comments:
· Audience comments are always welcome as agenda items are discussed. In addition, SEPAC has set aside ten (10) minutes on this agenda to enable members of the audience to raise questions and make comments on any matter of general concern. To facilitate this process, interested parties are asked to provide the Hingham SEPAC Chairpersons or the Hingham Public Schools Director of Student Services with the nature of the question/comment, in writing, prior to the start of the meeting.
Old Business:
· Update on SEPAC 2011-2012 calendar
· Update on fundraising (Antique Show, Can Drive)
· Update on Fun Run for April 2012
· SEPAC banner update
· Board member responsibilities
· Vacant Co-chair position
New Business:
· Update on All-town PTO meeting
· Christmas In The Square review and vote for additional money
· A.P.P.L.E. Institute (Advancing Parent Professional Leadership in Education) – May 16 – 18, 2012
· Transition Grant review
· December 7 presentation review
· Discussion of amount to donate for “Red Flags for Struggling Readers” presentation
· Review of format for meeting agenda
Subcommittee Reports:
HPS Director of Student Services Report:
Announcements & Adjournment:
· Upcoming SEPAC events:
- January 17, 2012, “Red Flags for Struggling Readers”, Hingham Public Library, 7:00 p.m.
- February 8, 2012, “What is Social Thinking?”, Hingham Public Library 6:30 p.m.
The provision of Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) according to federal and state laws and regulations related to the education of children with disabilities includes the following areas: Assessment of Students, Student Identification, Parent and Community Involvement, Curriculum and Instruction, Student Support Services, Faculty, Staff and Administration, School Facilities, Program Plan and Evaluation and Record Keeping.
Meeting Minutes:
The meeting was called to order by Co-Chair Donna Keaney.
Present were Donna Keaney, Marisa Ronan, Kim Cross, Jean Garrity, and Bessie Wolfington.
The minutes from November 8, 2011 were reviewed and accepted.
Communications: Donna shared an e-mail she had received requesting SEPAC to work with school PTO’s to avoid having conflicting events on the same night. Kim also had conversations with Dr. Epstein’s wife about the services she and her husband provide in addition to a conversation with Dr. Stellar letting Kim know that SEPAC events will now be placed under the school news section of the green sheet.
Treasurer: Kim reported that the check for the Transition Grant has finally cleared, but her check for coffee reimbursement as well as the check to the Downtown Association for Christmas in the Square have not yet cleared. The balance in the account is currently $11,859.62. Marisa also gave Kim receipts for the cost of printing the newsletters($169.00) and the cost of printing the tri-fold ($132.00). Regarding Christmas in the Square, Kim reported that our expenses were $50.00 to the Downtown Association and $521.00 for Oriental Trading. Kim deposited $580.98 from this event, giving us a total profit of $9.98.
Old Business:
SEPAC Calendar 2011-2012:
January 17th – Pam Hook “Red Flags For Struggling Readers” at Hingham Public Library 7 – 8:50pm.
February 8th – Tracy Stoll at Hingham Public Library 6:30-8:30pm
March 7th – Dr. Moldover at Hingham Public Library
April 3rd – Larry Epstein – waiting to hear about confirmation of room 103 at the high school.
Possible SEPAC coffee January 31st in the evening - Marisa will check on availability of the library at East School.
Fundraising:
Bottle/Can drive set for May 19th, 2012 at Hingham Middle School.
Antique Show – 25th Annual show. This will be the last year for SEPAC to host the show. John at Goosefaire antiques is aware of this decision. March 30th will be the set-up in the afternoon/evening, and the dates of the show will be March 31st and April 1st.
SEPAC Fun Run – Jean discussed ideas she and Pam have for organizing the run. Both Jean and Pam will be attending the Bare Cove Park Committee meeting this evening to get approval to use the park for the fun run on April 28, 2012.
SEPAC Banner Update: Jean reported that she has been in touch with the company doing the banner. They sent her an e-mail of the design of the banners, and Jean replied back to them to move forward with printing. Jean reported that the banners were going to print in the next day or so.
Board Member Responsibilities: A discussion took place regarding who is responsible for getting information about the presentations out to the schools, principals, and Hingham Journal. It was decided that whoever organized/coordinated the presentation will be responsible to do a write- up and send it to the Hingham Journal. This person will also be responsible for getting that information to Marisa so she can send the information to the schools and the principals. Also decided in this discussion was that the presentation coordinator is responsible for organizing and providing refreshments to the meeting as well as having an attendance sheet there.
Moving forward with next year’s calendar, Jean and Donna will organize the presentations. SEPAC will meet in March to discuss topics of interest and presenters that people are interested in. It will be up to Jean and Donna to then find out the cost and availability of these and present them at a later meeting. The hope is to have all presentations and meetings set for the upcoming school year by May or June. We will solicit SEPAC members via the website, newsletters, and e-mail to solicit their ideas.
Another discussion took place about who is responsible for maintaining the SEPAC e-mail list and sending out e-mails to this list. In the past, Donna has been doing this, however according to our by-laws, this is the secretary’s responsibility. Donna, Marisa, and Pam will set a time to meet to discuss how to proceed with the e-mail list.
Vacant Co-Chair Position: This open position will be publicized on the SEPAC website to try to get someone to fill this position.
New Business:
All-Town PTO Update: Jean and Marisa gave an update of the last meeting on December 2nd.
Christmas in the Square: A review of Christmas in the Square took place. Final thoughts were that it was a good opportunity for visibility as well as an opportunity to hand out our SEPAC brochure to people. Marisa suggested next year ordering merchandise earlier than we did this year so we won’t be forced to pay such high shipping costs. A motion was made and passed unanimously to spend an additional $71.00 to reimburse Marisa for costs incurred.
A.P.P.L.E. Institute: Jean shared the information she received about this from the Federation. It is a three day training for SEPAC’s that is offered May 16 – 18, 2012. There is no cost involved. In order to participate we need to submit an application by the January deadline with the names of the Director of Student Services, one other staff person, and up to four parents. No more than six people are allowed per SEPAC. The Institute also limits the number to six SEPAC’s that are allowed to participate. Jean will send an e-mail to Dr. Loud to determine of this is something she is willing to participate in and has availability for those dates.
Transition Grant Review: Donna and Jean gave an update from the last meeting held on November 15, 2011.
December 7th Presentation Review: Donna reported that the presentation went well, with about 25 people in attendance. Donna also reported getting feedback from Dr. Galo through Jen Melia that people had commented on how much they enjoyed the program.
Discussion of amount to donate for Red Flags program: There is no formal charge for the Red Flags for Struggling Readers program, but Pam Hook has requested a donation from SEPAC to the MA Branch of the International Dyslexia Association. A motion was made and passed unanimously to donate $150.00.
Review of Format for meeting agenda: A discussion took place about some of the wording of the agenda and how it is set up. No definitive changes were made to the agenda, but will be discussed at future meetings. Through this discussion, it was decided to try to change our meeting format a bit. We will have 10 – 10:30am open to allow people to share thoughts, questions, etc., and then we will begin our SEPAC business right at 10:30 and finish at 12pm.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:35pm.
HINGHAM SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL (SEPAC)
Hingham Public Schools
Hingham Public Library, Fearing Room, 66 Leavitt St., Hingham, MA 02043
Meeting Agenda:
Introduction and Rules
Acceptance of Minutes: November 8, 2011
Treasurer’s Report:
Communications:
Questions & Comments:
· Audience comments are always welcome as agenda items are discussed. In addition, SEPAC has set aside ten (10) minutes on this agenda to enable members of the audience to raise questions and make comments on any matter of general concern. To facilitate this process, interested parties are asked to provide the Hingham SEPAC Chairpersons or the Hingham Public Schools Director of Student Services with the nature of the question/comment, in writing, prior to the start of the meeting.
Old Business:
· Update on SEPAC 2011-2012 calendar
· Update on fundraising (Antique Show, Can Drive)
· Update on Fun Run for April 2012
· SEPAC banner update
· Board member responsibilities
· Vacant Co-chair position
New Business:
· Update on All-town PTO meeting
· Christmas In The Square review and vote for additional money
· A.P.P.L.E. Institute (Advancing Parent Professional Leadership in Education) – May 16 – 18, 2012
· Transition Grant review
· December 7 presentation review
· Discussion of amount to donate for “Red Flags for Struggling Readers” presentation
· Review of format for meeting agenda
Subcommittee Reports:
HPS Director of Student Services Report:
Announcements & Adjournment:
· Upcoming SEPAC events:
- January 17, 2012, “Red Flags for Struggling Readers”, Hingham Public Library, 7:00 p.m.
- February 8, 2012, “What is Social Thinking?”, Hingham Public Library 6:30 p.m.
The provision of Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) according to federal and state laws and regulations related to the education of children with disabilities includes the following areas: Assessment of Students, Student Identification, Parent and Community Involvement, Curriculum and Instruction, Student Support Services, Faculty, Staff and Administration, School Facilities, Program Plan and Evaluation and Record Keeping.
Meeting Minutes:
The meeting was called to order by Co-Chair Donna Keaney.
Present were Donna Keaney, Marisa Ronan, Kim Cross, Jean Garrity, and Bessie Wolfington.
The minutes from November 8, 2011 were reviewed and accepted.
Communications: Donna shared an e-mail she had received requesting SEPAC to work with school PTO’s to avoid having conflicting events on the same night. Kim also had conversations with Dr. Epstein’s wife about the services she and her husband provide in addition to a conversation with Dr. Stellar letting Kim know that SEPAC events will now be placed under the school news section of the green sheet.
Treasurer: Kim reported that the check for the Transition Grant has finally cleared, but her check for coffee reimbursement as well as the check to the Downtown Association for Christmas in the Square have not yet cleared. The balance in the account is currently $11,859.62. Marisa also gave Kim receipts for the cost of printing the newsletters($169.00) and the cost of printing the tri-fold ($132.00). Regarding Christmas in the Square, Kim reported that our expenses were $50.00 to the Downtown Association and $521.00 for Oriental Trading. Kim deposited $580.98 from this event, giving us a total profit of $9.98.
Old Business:
SEPAC Calendar 2011-2012:
January 17th – Pam Hook “Red Flags For Struggling Readers” at Hingham Public Library 7 – 8:50pm.
February 8th – Tracy Stoll at Hingham Public Library 6:30-8:30pm
March 7th – Dr. Moldover at Hingham Public Library
April 3rd – Larry Epstein – waiting to hear about confirmation of room 103 at the high school.
Possible SEPAC coffee January 31st in the evening - Marisa will check on availability of the library at East School.
Fundraising:
Bottle/Can drive set for May 19th, 2012 at Hingham Middle School.
Antique Show – 25th Annual show. This will be the last year for SEPAC to host the show. John at Goosefaire antiques is aware of this decision. March 30th will be the set-up in the afternoon/evening, and the dates of the show will be March 31st and April 1st.
SEPAC Fun Run – Jean discussed ideas she and Pam have for organizing the run. Both Jean and Pam will be attending the Bare Cove Park Committee meeting this evening to get approval to use the park for the fun run on April 28, 2012.
SEPAC Banner Update: Jean reported that she has been in touch with the company doing the banner. They sent her an e-mail of the design of the banners, and Jean replied back to them to move forward with printing. Jean reported that the banners were going to print in the next day or so.
Board Member Responsibilities: A discussion took place regarding who is responsible for getting information about the presentations out to the schools, principals, and Hingham Journal. It was decided that whoever organized/coordinated the presentation will be responsible to do a write- up and send it to the Hingham Journal. This person will also be responsible for getting that information to Marisa so she can send the information to the schools and the principals. Also decided in this discussion was that the presentation coordinator is responsible for organizing and providing refreshments to the meeting as well as having an attendance sheet there.
Moving forward with next year’s calendar, Jean and Donna will organize the presentations. SEPAC will meet in March to discuss topics of interest and presenters that people are interested in. It will be up to Jean and Donna to then find out the cost and availability of these and present them at a later meeting. The hope is to have all presentations and meetings set for the upcoming school year by May or June. We will solicit SEPAC members via the website, newsletters, and e-mail to solicit their ideas.
Another discussion took place about who is responsible for maintaining the SEPAC e-mail list and sending out e-mails to this list. In the past, Donna has been doing this, however according to our by-laws, this is the secretary’s responsibility. Donna, Marisa, and Pam will set a time to meet to discuss how to proceed with the e-mail list.
Vacant Co-Chair Position: This open position will be publicized on the SEPAC website to try to get someone to fill this position.
New Business:
All-Town PTO Update: Jean and Marisa gave an update of the last meeting on December 2nd.
Christmas in the Square: A review of Christmas in the Square took place. Final thoughts were that it was a good opportunity for visibility as well as an opportunity to hand out our SEPAC brochure to people. Marisa suggested next year ordering merchandise earlier than we did this year so we won’t be forced to pay such high shipping costs. A motion was made and passed unanimously to spend an additional $71.00 to reimburse Marisa for costs incurred.
A.P.P.L.E. Institute: Jean shared the information she received about this from the Federation. It is a three day training for SEPAC’s that is offered May 16 – 18, 2012. There is no cost involved. In order to participate we need to submit an application by the January deadline with the names of the Director of Student Services, one other staff person, and up to four parents. No more than six people are allowed per SEPAC. The Institute also limits the number to six SEPAC’s that are allowed to participate. Jean will send an e-mail to Dr. Loud to determine of this is something she is willing to participate in and has availability for those dates.
Transition Grant Review: Donna and Jean gave an update from the last meeting held on November 15, 2011.
December 7th Presentation Review: Donna reported that the presentation went well, with about 25 people in attendance. Donna also reported getting feedback from Dr. Galo through Jen Melia that people had commented on how much they enjoyed the program.
Discussion of amount to donate for Red Flags program: There is no formal charge for the Red Flags for Struggling Readers program, but Pam Hook has requested a donation from SEPAC to the MA Branch of the International Dyslexia Association. A motion was made and passed unanimously to donate $150.00.
Review of Format for meeting agenda: A discussion took place about some of the wording of the agenda and how it is set up. No definitive changes were made to the agenda, but will be discussed at future meetings. Through this discussion, it was decided to try to change our meeting format a bit. We will have 10 – 10:30am open to allow people to share thoughts, questions, etc., and then we will begin our SEPAC business right at 10:30 and finish at 12pm.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:35pm.
