Tuesday, November 13, 2012
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. – noon – Monthly Meeting to discuss SEPAC business
(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.)
Introduction and Rules:
Acceptance of Minutes: October 9, 2012
Treasurer’s Report:
Communications: emails from the SEPAC gmail account
Old Business:
· Update SEPAC calendar for 2012 – 2013 school year (Christmas In The Square, “Shut-up” Sisters, Sarah Ward)
· Volunteer Forms & Surveys
· Ad Hoc Committee on Special Education Funding
· 2nd Newsletter Mailing
New Business:
· Update on October All-town PTO meeting
· Format of Minutes and Attendance sheets
· Discussion re: formation of a Support Group
· Discussion re: School Committee liaison to SEPAC
Subcommittee Reports:
Director of Student Services Report:
Announcements & Adjournment:
· Upcoming SEPAC events:
- Next SEPAC meeting – Tuesday, December 11, 2012
- “Shut-up Sisters” Presentation, Thursday, January 31, 2013
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
Present: Board Members: Donna Keaney, Jean Garrity, Marisa Ronan, Daniela Andruszkiewicz, Sonja Finney and Kerry Ni; School Personnel: Liz Flynn.
There were no additional attendees.
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 October 9, 2012, were accepted.
Treasurer’s Report: There was no Treasurer’s report this month.
Communications: Correspondence received:
Old Business:
Christmas in the Square: Scheduled for 12/8. SEPAC will have an information table and be selling jingle bell bracelets (60). Additional SEPAC
brochures have been ordered.
Shut Up Sisters presentation: Schedued for 1/31/12 at the South Shore Country Club from 7-10 pm. Light appetizers will be available and a cash bar. Tickets will be available to preorder at $10, and also available at the door for $15. Donna and Jean will finalize details with SSCC, and Daniela will create the advertising. Budget range for the event is up to $2,500. The board discussed potentially adding a raffle to the event.
Sarah Ward’s presentation: Scheduled for 10/9/2013 is confirmed (cost $2,100). Marisa will be the contact with Ward’s office. SEPAC is responsible for the contract covering the parents’ portion of the presentation. E. Keane of the Hingham School District will manage the staff presentation. A location needs to be determined.
SEPAC Fun Run: Possible dates are May 4 or 11.
Apple Institute workshop: SEPAC will look into attending the workshop May 15-17, 2013. The application is due at the end of January. Liz Flynn is willing to participate on behalf of the administration.
SEPAC Volunteer forms: No additional forms submitted.
Ad Hoc Committee on Special Education Funding: Marisa provided a copy of the committee’s membership and charge. The committee will be looking into how “circuit breaker” funding works, funding out of district placements and if the state has any other options for transportation costs, etc. The committee has created two groups to gather information concerning, respectively: (1) management of special education funding and expenses by other states and (2) management of special education funding and expenses by other Massachusetts towns. The Committee meets again on 11/29/12.
December newsletter: Marisa is preparing the newsletter, to be distributed after Thanksgiving. The “Shut Up Sisters” flyer will be included. olunteers are needed to mail it.
New Business:
Sub-Committee Reports:
! Kerry Ni will ask if South School will permit SEPAC to place a box in their main office for SEPAC information and parent questions.
Director of Student Services:
! Liz Flynn reported that the School Department is working on its preliminary budget. S. Finney reported that a parent asked about timing
notification of ESY planning to parents so that they can arrange summer plans for their children, which generally occurs before ESY notices are sent. At her Dec. 6 meeting with Special Education staff, Liz will speak about ESY at IEP planning meetings.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:10 p.
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. – noon – Monthly Meeting to discuss SEPAC business
(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.)
Introduction and Rules:
Acceptance of Minutes: October 9, 2012
Treasurer’s Report:
Communications: emails from the SEPAC gmail account
Old Business:
· Update SEPAC calendar for 2012 – 2013 school year (Christmas In The Square, “Shut-up” Sisters, Sarah Ward)
· Volunteer Forms & Surveys
· Ad Hoc Committee on Special Education Funding
· 2nd Newsletter Mailing
New Business:
· Update on October All-town PTO meeting
· Format of Minutes and Attendance sheets
· Discussion re: formation of a Support Group
· Discussion re: School Committee liaison to SEPAC
Subcommittee Reports:
Director of Student Services Report:
Announcements & Adjournment:
· Upcoming SEPAC events:
- Next SEPAC meeting – Tuesday, December 11, 2012
- “Shut-up Sisters” Presentation, Thursday, January 31, 2013
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
Present: Board Members: Donna Keaney, Jean Garrity, Marisa Ronan, Daniela Andruszkiewicz, Sonja Finney and Kerry Ni; School Personnel: Liz Flynn.
There were no additional attendees.
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 October 9, 2012, were accepted.
Treasurer’s Report: There was no Treasurer’s report this month.
Communications: Correspondence received:
- Letter from K. Hanley, ARC Director of Community and Family Supports regarding Social Security Presentation held 11/7/12. SEPAC will attempt to get handouts.
- Mailing re: presentation of “The Big Picture” concerning Dyslexia. SEPAC will consider organizing a local showing.
- Letter from C. Larson re: Counseling services for Adolescents with Disabilities.
- Letter from L. DeRienzo re: psychological services at Derby Street.
- Mailing from P. Schiper re: presentation of homework assistance.
- Notice of Cohasset SEPAC presentation 11/6/12 re: applied behavioral analysis.
- Email from NCLD.org with link and general information re: their website.
- Letter from K. Hanley re: presentation on Special Education and Guardianship at Thayer Public Library on 11/16/12.
- Verbal Communication between D. Andruszkiewicz and J. Petner (Haggerty School in Cambridge) re: multi-SEPAC presentation on School Administration approach to Special Education.
Old Business:
Christmas in the Square: Scheduled for 12/8. SEPAC will have an information table and be selling jingle bell bracelets (60). Additional SEPAC
brochures have been ordered.
Shut Up Sisters presentation: Schedued for 1/31/12 at the South Shore Country Club from 7-10 pm. Light appetizers will be available and a cash bar. Tickets will be available to preorder at $10, and also available at the door for $15. Donna and Jean will finalize details with SSCC, and Daniela will create the advertising. Budget range for the event is up to $2,500. The board discussed potentially adding a raffle to the event.
Sarah Ward’s presentation: Scheduled for 10/9/2013 is confirmed (cost $2,100). Marisa will be the contact with Ward’s office. SEPAC is responsible for the contract covering the parents’ portion of the presentation. E. Keane of the Hingham School District will manage the staff presentation. A location needs to be determined.
SEPAC Fun Run: Possible dates are May 4 or 11.
Apple Institute workshop: SEPAC will look into attending the workshop May 15-17, 2013. The application is due at the end of January. Liz Flynn is willing to participate on behalf of the administration.
SEPAC Volunteer forms: No additional forms submitted.
Ad Hoc Committee on Special Education Funding: Marisa provided a copy of the committee’s membership and charge. The committee will be looking into how “circuit breaker” funding works, funding out of district placements and if the state has any other options for transportation costs, etc. The committee has created two groups to gather information concerning, respectively: (1) management of special education funding and expenses by other states and (2) management of special education funding and expenses by other Massachusetts towns. The Committee meets again on 11/29/12.
December newsletter: Marisa is preparing the newsletter, to be distributed after Thanksgiving. The “Shut Up Sisters” flyer will be included. olunteers are needed to mail it.
New Business:
- All-town PTO Meeting: No report. Jean provided a School Committee meeting calendar, and Liz noted two changes. SEPAC may host a coffee hour before the 1/7/13 School Committee meeting. SEPAC will invite and promote the “Shut Up Sisters” presentation to the School Committee, as well as school administration and staff.
- SEPAC Administration: Going forward, SEPAC will acknowledge a premeeting social gathering, but not attempt to document it. SEPAC minutes will specifically acknowledge SEPAC Board and committee members, School Administration, Staff and School Committee members in attendance, and only identify the number of additional attendees. Sign-in sheets are discontinued.
- Support Group: A parent inquired to a Board member about starting a support group. Other SEPACs offer “resource nights” to bring parents together. SEPAC will look into the privacy of using the website’s forum as a support venue, and further consider the topic at the proposed 1/7 coffee hour.
- School Committee Liason to SEPAC: SEPAC is interested in having a member of the Special Education Sub-committee join SPEAC as a liason. Other SEPACs have reported a positive experience in developing that relationship.
Sub-Committee Reports:
! Kerry Ni will ask if South School will permit SEPAC to place a box in their main office for SEPAC information and parent questions.
Director of Student Services:
! Liz Flynn reported that the School Department is working on its preliminary budget. S. Finney reported that a parent asked about timing
notification of ESY planning to parents so that they can arrange summer plans for their children, which generally occurs before ESY notices are sent. At her Dec. 6 meeting with Special Education staff, Liz will speak about ESY at IEP planning meetings.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:10 p.
