Winter 2016

Special EDgeThank you so much for joining us for the 2nd online Special Educat ion Quarterly Hangout !

You can view it by clicking below.

Slides of the Hangout

MSDE releases a PARCC Appendix D El igibi l i ty Tool

Moving forward in 2016 please use the MSDE PARCC Appendix D Eligibil ity Tool located on the PARCC LiveBinder above and linked below.

If you have already completed the annual decision making using the PARCC Appendix D Eligibil ity form you will NOT need to reconvene.

(*NOTE ~PNPs are not required for IEP and 504 students)

LiveBinderText

MSDE Appendix D Eligibil ity Tool

Jennie's family suggests that in lieu of flowers, memorial

contributions may be made to:

FCPS c/o Accounting Dept.

191 S. East Street

Frederick, MD 21701

Please note: In memory of Jennifer Waltrip for meeting the

sensory needs of students with disabilities.

"Jennie Waltrip was a whirl of contradictions spun into a beautiful fabric."

Frederick News Post, January 30, 2016

Winter 2016

Celebrat ion of Life

Jennifer Waltrip, Special Education Teacher Specialist, was passionate about helping students with special needs. She had a special talent in identifying what needed to be done to meet the need of the learners she worked with, particularly those with Autism Spectrum Disorder and sensory needs. She died suddenly from a brain aneurysm on January 20th, 2016. She was loved by so many and her expertise lives through all of FCPS.

Jennie loved Wordles, so in her memory, with words to describe her, offered by her FCPS colleagues...Jennie this Wordle is dedicated in your memory.

Winter 2016

RESOURCES about AUTISM

CEC Article on Autism

Text

Autism Speaks

Autism Society

Child Autism Parent Cafe

Practical AAC

Sensory Processing Disorder

Alyssa Raven Fowler Creations

Helping Students who have Experienced Trauma

Children who experience trauma when they are young tend to become wired to expect a threat around every corner if no one intervenes. This may lead them to become defensive and anxious. They may lack trust and disregard authority. Although school is supposed to be a haven for them, they may see it as a labyrinth of uncertainty and conflict. They may struggle to learn and act out behaviorally.

Intervene with children who are at risk of developing signif icant mental health issues. Connect a student with an adult he can trust so he has someone to retreat to when he is experiencing stress. Also create some predictability within school routines to counteract the student's feeling of uncertainty. Develop peer connections to further bolster the student's sense of security. And strengthen collaboration with parents and other community stakeholders.

Autism Awareness

- Did you know FCPS serves over 550 students with Autism who have an IEP?

Extensions on Google Chrome to Help Students Facilitate Reading and Writing

- This Google Chrome extension Read/Write Gold has the functionality of Kurzweil features: text-to-speech, speech-to-text, highlights, collect highlights, picture dictionary, translate, etc.

Tutorials for use are available on the ACTT website:

Read/Write Gold

Free for Teachers-click here to sign up

Read/Write Gold Tutorials

School Role in Responding

Winter 2016

ESY 2016 Special Education Extended School

Year (ESY) services are fast approaching for 2016 (July 5-28, 2016). All resources related to ESY 2016 are located on the Special Education Website at InsideFCPS/Special Education/Special Ed Resources/Extended School Year (ESY)/Extended School Year Forms & Information.

(Note* no manual ESY logs for 2016-only electronic for verif icat ion)

ESY Applications

Evidence-Based Practices

Both the Individuals with Disabilit ies Education Act (IDEA) and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) require that schools use programs, curricula, and practices based on "scientif ically-based research" "to the extent practicable." Under IDEA, instruction is individualized based on the student's needs. That is why it is important that professionals are aware of instructional practices and interventions that have been shown by research to be most effective. These research-based practices can then be matched with students? unique needs and skills when developing students? IEPs. It is important to document which practices work so that evidence can emerge over time that offers insight to student learning; ult imately leading to effective evidence-based instructional practices.

Evidence-Based Practices

What it IS:

- Using data to guide instructional change and decision-making

- For ALL students, not just students with special education needs

What it IS NOT:

- an intervention (EBIP). It is what you DO with your instruction

Check out these evidence-based instructional practices you can apply in the classroom in any content in the video below based upon the work of Marzanno, Pollock and Pickering.

Evidence-based practices should be employed in the classroom to meet this FCPS aspirational goal:

FCPS wil l equip each and every student to be an empowered learner and an engaged cit izen to achieve a posit ive impact in the local and global community.

Art icles on Evidence-Based Instruct ional Strategies

Text

20 Instructional Strategies

Marzanno's 9 Essential Strategies

Principles of Instruction

Winter 2016

INCLEMENT WEATHER & INDICATOR 11

As a result of the impact of the winter storm, the Department of Special Education and Psychological Services would like to highlight how to proceed with rescheduling IEP eligibility meetings when they are cancelled due to a school/ facility closure. This is an acceptable reason for delay.

- School/ facil ity closure applies as an acceptable reason for delay when school is closed, delayed or closes early on the originally scheduled date/ time of the IEP eligibil ity meeting.

- The school team should reschedule the IEP eligibil ity meeting within a reasonable timeframe (as soon as possible) at a mutually convenient t ime for the parent and team by sending a 2nd notif ication (SE:6). This ?new? IEP El igibi l i ty Meet ing date might be af ter the el igibi l i ty t imel ine has passed.

- When the IEP eligibil ity team convenes, they should clearly document in the IEP team meeting notes (SE:7) that the eligibil ity meeting is a rescheduled meeting due to a school/ facil ity closure on the previously scheduled date in the document of discussion.

- On the init ial eligibil ity page of the OIEP, whether the student qualif ies or not, the reason for delay radio button of school/ facility closure should be selected.

Following the actual IEP eligibility team meeting, the case manager should fax a copy of the original notif ication (SE:6) and the rescheduled eligibil ity meeting notif ication(SE:6), as well as the IEP team meeting notes documenting the eligibil ity meeting was rescheduled to X45304, attention Chastidy Thomas.

ASHA VISITS FCPS

NEW!

MSDE Technical Assistance Bul let ins? The following TA bulletins are available online  

- The Early Intervent ion Record: Transfer and Release, TA Bulletin 15-01

- Frequent ly Asked Quest ions About Transportat ion of Children with Disabil i t ies, TA Bulletin 16-01

- Child Outcome Summary, TA Bulletin 16-02

FCPS Special Educat ion Releases an Updated IEP Process Guide for HH/T Services

IEP Process for HH/T Services

Technical Assistance Bulletins

In November, representatives from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) visited FCPS. In the morning, they presented to FCPS Speech/Language Pathologists and in the afternoon they observed sessions and spoke with staff at Whitt ier Elementary.  It was a great learning experience for both ASHA and FCPS! Access the ASHA website for additional information on supporting students with Communication Disorders. See the link below.

ASHA

Winter 2016

IEP Team Members Part icipat ion & Recommending/Reviewing Assessments

- IEP teams are responsible for having the right IEP participants present at the IEP team meeting - IDEA and COMAR mandate a duly constituted IEP team to include: parent, student (as

appropriate), individuals to interpret evaluation, related service provider(s), special educator, general educator, and administrator/ representative of the public agency [as indicated in IDEA 34 CFR 300.321])

- Other participants may be considered depending on the purpose for the IEP team meeting (i.e. transportation, health providers, etc.)

- Parent can invite their own participants per the notif ication (SE: 6)

Duly Constituted IEP Team(s) = Rich data based, student specif ic discussions to promote comprehensive program development

IEP Process for IEP Team Participation (Documentation is Key)

1. Invite each required member on the IEP team meeting notif ication as related to the purpose for the IEP team meeting (SE: 6)

2. Have members sign the IEP participation page at the meeting (SE: 7) 3. Use Excusal (SE:6B) if staff not in attendance or must leave-secure parent permission/document

parent permission in the IEP meeting minutes 4. Include input of members in IEP team meeting notes including recommendations by experts

qualif ied to interpret evaluations (SE:7)

IEP Team Participants in Assessment Decision Making & Review

In init ials, reevaluations/ re-eligibil ity and any other assessment considerations in IEP process~ It is best practice to communicate and collaborate to include IEP team members who are experts in the decision making to recommend assessment and to interpret results (i.e. psychologists, speech pathologists, vision/hearing itinerants, adapted pe teacher specialists, ACT team leaders etc.-IT IS REQUIRED when interpreting assessment results**)

FCPS Special Education Psychological Services has a record review form located on FormFinder for Re-evaluation considerations in case the psychologist cannot attend the reevaluation meeting                                                                             

Presentation

I FALL 2015Winter 2016

FCPS SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICE DELIVERY MODELS

GENERAL EDUCATION IN A COMPREHENSIVE FREDERICK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL

Special Education service delivery is provided in settings to students with disabilit ies who are learning along with their non-disabled peers with the implementation of their Individualized Education Program (IEP). There is a range of special education services in the general education setting offered at each building to meet students? individual educational needs. These services include:

CONSULTATION

No direct services are provided to the student. A review of the student?s performance in general education classes is done by special educators and/or related service personnel on at least a quarterly basis. The provider of the consultative service also consults with the IEP team and general education staff who work with the student to discuss strategies that support the student?s continued progress.

CO-TAUGHT

Co-teaching is a partnership or collaboration between two or more instructors. Frequently, this partnership consists of one general educator and one special educator, but can be any pairing of instructional staff including but not l imited to general educator, special education teacher, intervention teacher, school-based specialist or related service provider. It involves the distribution of responsibil ity among people for planning instruction and evaluation for a classroom of students.

PUSH IN

Special educators schedule services on a f lexible basis. Schedules are coordinated with the general educator based on student need in inclusive

classrooms where student(s) with disabilit ies are

disabilit ies are accessing general education curriculum. The push-in model is not a traditional ?co-teaching? model. The special educator may provide services in multiple classrooms within the same instructional period. In the push-in model the special educator?s role can include, but is not l imited to: modifying curricular resources, planning with the content teacher(s) and leading dif ferentiated groups, as well as planning and implementing re-teaching or modif ied versions of any learning episodes .

OPEN RESOURCE

The Open Resource room is available to students with an IEP at any point during their instructional day for access to accommodations, supplementary aids and services, test preparation or completion, completing assignments, guided practice with an emerging skill, and/or re-teaching. Students should not access the resource room during direct instruction of their content area classes. The resource room is open throughout the day and is monitored by a trained staff member (special educator, SEIA, general educator, etc.). While specif ic uses of the room will vary from school to school, the purpose should be clearly def ined in writ ing for all stakeholders.

PULL OUT RESOURCE

Students are scheduled to meet a provider to support IEP implementation, including accommodations, supplemental aids, goals/objective instruction, pre-teaching or re-teaching. The student?s service hours on his or her IEP ref lect how often and how long a student is ?pulled? for resource. Best practice suggests that students are pulled during non-academic times or non-direct instruction. This location can be in a special educator?s classroom or in a specif ied room within the school building.

Winter 2016

New Faces in New Places

Erin Dickman is the newest member to join Psychological Services. She graduated from the University of Richmond in 2009 with a BA in Psychology, and then pursued a degree in School Psychology from the Citadel (Ed.S.). After graduating from the Citadel in 2013, Erin worked as a school psychologist in Charleston, South Carolina in several elementary schools. In March of 2014, she began service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Jamaica, working as a youth literacy advisor and special education advisor in a specialized school for children with exceptional needs. Upon her return to the United States, Erin was a long-term substitute at Governor Thomas Johnson High, teaching 9th grade and 12th grade English. Transitioning back to her niche as a school psychologist, she is thril led to have the opportunity to work with such a dedicated, passionate, intell igent team of educators.

Pilot of Revised El igibi l i ty Worksheets in IEP team El igibi l i ty Meet ings

The ED, ID, OHI and Autism eligibil ity forms have been updated and are being piloted by the school psychologists. This was done to make the wording for a multiple disability identical in each form. All staff will be apprised when the new forms are off icial. If you have any feedback about the piloted forms, please contact your school psychologist.

New Faces in New Places

Dr. Susan Tassin is one of the newest members of the psychological services team. She began her career as an audiologist after graduating from LSU Medical Center (now LSU Health Sciences Center), with an undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh. After working for several years for the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, working in pediatric settings in both inner-city and bayou locations, she left to become a speech-language pathologist. She returned to her home state of Pennsylvania, and worked as a public school speech pathologist for many years in suburban Harrisburg, Pa. After a school psych colleague listened to Susan wistfully remark about how much she had always wanted to be a psychologist, she challenged Susan to go for her dreams. Susan became a certif ied school psychologist, graduating from Millersvil le University in 2000, and has practiced while earning her Au.D. from the University of Florida. She continues to live in the Gettysburg area with her two middle-school aged children.