The awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday, June 5th at 7pm at Newton North Lasker Theatre, 457 Walnut St and will be followed by a casual reception.

Once again, we will be honoring a few of the many members of NPS staff who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to have truly made a difference in the lives of our children with special needs.

Do you have someone you’d like to recognize?

Send your nominations to PACawards2012@gmail.com by May 15th.

Please read the following important information regarding nominations!

All nominations must be received by May 15th.

Nominations MUST include:

1) Your name (will not be made public – nominator’s names are known only to award recipients).

2) Nominee’s home school and e-mail address. If s/he is a district-wide employee, please designate as such and note which school your child attends.

3) A SHORT paragraph on why you believe s/he should be recognized (please help by keeping it short!) .

Please note that the awards are for the CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR ONLY.

All nominees will be recognized.

Nominees can be any member of NPS staff.  They do NOT have to be special education dedicated if they made a difference to a child receiving special education services.

There is no official limit to the number of staff members nominated per family, but please use your discretion. The awards are meant to recognize truly outstanding efforts.

Send your nominations directly to Eileen at PACawards2012@gmail.com by May 15th.

If you are interested in helping with refreshments, set-up or clean-up for the awards ceremony, please write to PACawards2012@gmail.com to volunteer.

If you have any questions, please contact Eileen Sandberg at PACawards2012@gmail.com

Thanks!
Eileen Sandberg, Awards Ceremony Coordinator

Dr. Ellen Braaten, Director of MGH’s Learning and Emotional Assessment Program

Tuesday, April 10, 7-8:30 p.m.

Film Lecture Hall, Newton North High School

Has your student been diagnosed with a learning disability? Or are you wondering whether he or she has a learning disability? When we think of Special Education, we often think of students with visible disabilities. Yet specific learning disabilities like dyslexia, perceptual disabilities, slow processing speed, and attention issues account for fifty percent of the students on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

Please join the Newton North and Newton South PTSOs, The Newton Partnership, the Newton North and Newton South Special Education Departments, and the Newton Parent Advisory Council for Special Education for an exciting and informative discussion of learning disabilities with Dr. Ellen Braaten, director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dr. Braaten will discuss the following:

- Getting an accurate diagnosis for your child

- The parent’s role in supporting a student with learning disabilities

- Strategies for success in high school

- Teaching the student to advocate for himself/herself

- Techniques for managing home life

- Preparing students for life beyond high school with an eye toward independent living

The evening will include time for questions and answers.

Presentation from Linda Broderick, M.Ed., and Carla Brady, M.S. CCC
Architects For Learning

After a long day at school, even the most organized and capable students may find themselves challenged to initiate, organize, and self-regulate the homework process. Parents face the daunting task of providing just right supports, while attempting to determine which supports and strategies will actually help their children succeed.

Students can become successful Homework Project Managers by developing and using consistent, self-guided processes that allow them to complete homework independently and efficiently. During this presentation we will review one effective model useful for students of all ages. We will also discuss specific strategies embedded in the model and explore how parents can develop and nurture their children’s executive functioning skills

Room 210 at The Education Center, 100 Walnut Street, Newtonville.
Networking and light refreshments beginning at 7:15 pm.

Please RSVP to info@newtonpac.org so that we can have enough handouts for everyone.

Newton Parent Advisory Council (NewtonPAC) for Special Education meetings are free and open to all people interested in learning more about special education in Newton.

A presentation by

Jill Curry, NPS Transition Specialist and

Tony Sirignano, NPS Job Developer

Jill Curry & Tony Sirignano will review transition planning and the Transition Planning Form (TPF).  They will review a range of transition topics including supporting student self-determination skills, the 688 referral process, employment, post-secondary education and community based resources.  Participants will be provided with handouts including a copy of the Transition Planning Form and various resources for supporting students through the transition planning process.

If you have a child turning 14 this year or already 14 or older, this meeting is for you!  Transition planning begins the year a child turns 14 per MA Special Education law.  More information on Transition is here

Room 473 at Newton North High School, 457 Walnut Street, Newtonville.

Networking and light refreshments beginning at 7:15 pm.

Directions to Newton North and a link to the map of the school are here

Directions to Classroom 473.  Park and enter the building at the Theatre entrance as this puts you closest to the meeting  room. Classroom 473 is at the top of staircase H.  To get to Stairway H enter the Theatre entrance and turn to the right, the doors the stairway H are at the end of the glass wall.

To get to the closest elevator, walk through the Theatre lobby to the long corridor toward the main part of the school.  After you pass the block of rooms for the Innovation labs, there is a small incline in the corridor, at the end of the incline there is a small hallway on the right. Go down this hallway.  The elevator is two-thirds of the way down the hallway.  If you pass the cafeteria, turn around and find the small hall that will be on your left.  Once on the 4th floor, go to the right out of the elevator towards the end of the hall.  The room numbers will begin in the 460′s and end at 470′s.

We will have volunteers positioned in the Theatre lobby, at the entrance to the small hallway and at the elevator on the 4th floor!  Good opportunity to tour NNHS!

Questions, contact Sandy and Jo-Louise at info@newtonpac.org.

The evening will provide an opportunity to share and discuss special education planning by NPS in light of the release of new information available in the sped review, the trends report, and the ongoing work at South and the middle schools by Dorsey Yearley and NPS staff.

Room 210 at 100 Walnut Street, Newtonville.

Networking and light refreshments beginning at 7:15 pm.

Please plan to attend!   Questions, contact Sandy and Jo-Louise at info@newtonpac.org.

Background Documents

Special Education 2011 Trend Report 12-12-2011

Special Ed. Trends Presentation to SC 12-12-2011

Special Education Review Dec. 2011

Questions, contact Sandy and Jo-Louise at info@newtonpac.org.

Questions, contact Sandy and Jo-Louise at info@newtonpac.org.

The planning meeting to set the agenda for the Jan. 26 meeting with Judy Levin-Charns will be on Thursday, January 12 from 9-10:30 am at Panera, 100 Highland Ave, Needham (across from Staples).

Questions, suggestions, concerns: email Sandy and Jo-Louise at info@newtonpac.org.

The evening will provide an opportunity to share and discuss special education planning by NPS in light of the release of new information available in the sped review, the trends report, and the ongoing work at South and the middle schools by Dorsey Yearley and NPS staff.

Room 210 at 100 Walnut Street, Newtonville.

Networking and light refreshments beginning at 7:15 pm.

Please plan to attend!   Questions, contact Sandy and Jo-Louise at info@newtonpac.org.

Presentation from 7 pm to 9 pm, networking and light refreshments begin at 6:45 pm in Room 210 of 100 Walnut St., Newtonville.

Please RSVP to info@newtonpac.org so that we have enough handouts.

If you have questions you want to share with Elaine before the meeting, send them to Sandy and Jo-Louise at info@newtonpac.org.

NewtonPAC meetings are free and open to all who are interested in learning more about special education.  For more information visit www.newtonpac.org or email info@newtonpac.org.