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Message from the executive director
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Welcome to the 2015-16 school year! Following a delayed start for the first day of school, students, staff and families are now well underway in classes and a busy year ahead with much to accomplish!
We have begun preparing for
OSPI's Verification Onsite visits, in which we will collectively strive to improve our practices in serving our children with disabilities throughout the District. With OSPI we are focusing first on the Northwest Region and will move to reach all of the regions within the year. Support for our NW Region schools sites is provided through consultation and coaching with Program Specialists Maki Ichikawa and Catherine Cook and Interim Supervisor Teresa Swanson who are providing training seminars to teaching staff and administrators. Parent focus groups have begun as a part of this process.
The power of continuity is essential to build off the work that was completed last year. We are pleased to report that almost the entire leadership team has returned this year.
We hope to see you at one or more of our Special Education Regional Meetings where we can continue to engage in conversations with you about special ed services throughout Seattle. We are looking forward to learning more from you!... Please join us on October 20th, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at West Seattle High School for the first meeting.
Sincerely,
Wyeth Jessee
Executive Director of Special Education Services
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If you are concerned about a preschooler with a possible delay in development, call:
Child Find Screening and Referral:
(206) 252-0805
To contact
Enrollment Services call: (206) 252-0760
General special education questions by region please contact the
Regional Special Education Supervisors listed below:
Interim NW Regional Supervisor:
Teresa Swanson at (206 )252-0876
Central Regional Supervisor:
Patricia Campbell
SE Regional Supervisor and team:
Beth Thorson
West Seattle Regional Supervisor:
Spencer Pan
(206) 252-0887
Private School Supervisor:
Robin Olney
Deaf-Hard of Hearing/Vision/Auditory Services Supervisor: Michael Dickneite
 Transition "Bridges" for 18 - 21 year olds, Supervisor :
Allison Seielstad, right (
with Glen Boyd, Prog Specialist)
(206) 252-0846
Director of Special Education
Michaela Clancy (left)
(206) 252-0807
[email protected]
Director of School Based Special Education Services
Kari Hanson (right)
 Any step along the way, the Special Ed Ombudsperson, Margo Siegenthaler, is here to help you!
206-252-0794
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United for Student Success
Family Engagement Conference
Sat, Oct 10, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Evergreen Middle School, 7621 Beverly Lane, Everett, WA
Special Education Regional Meetings
WEST SEATTLE Region, Tues. Oct 20
West Seattle High School Library, 3000 California Ave. SW, Seattle 98116
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
NORTHEAST Region, Tues. Nov 17
Nathan Hale High School Library, 10750 30th Ave NE, Seattle 98125
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Seattle Special Ed PTSA Meeting
Mon, October 20, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. (following the SPED Dept. Regional Meeting)
West Seattle High School Library, 3000 California Ave. SW, Seattle 98116
Deaf Hard of Hearing (DHH) Community Meeting
Tues, November 3, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
John Stanford Center Auditorium, SPS, 2445 Third Ave, Seattle, WA 98124
What is an IEP? Workshop for Families
Wed, Nov 4, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Aki Kurose Middle School Library, 3928 S. Graham St., Seattle 98118
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED!
(253) 245-6394
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| Welcome to the Special Education Family Newsletter. Please share the SpEd Newsletter with others, and send comments to [email protected]. If someone forwarded the Special Education Family Newsletter to you, sign up here. |
| Special Education regional meetings are around the corner - JOIN US! |
All meetings are on Tuesdays, from 6 - 7 p.m.
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| Sign up for family workshops - Next topic: What is an IEP? |
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| Wednesday, November 4, 2015 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Location: Aki Kurose Middle School Library 3928 S. Graham St. Seattle, WA 98118 Seattle Public Schools is partnering with Open Doors for Multicultural Families to bring you this workshop. The workshop will focus on supporting families of students with special needs in understanding their child's Individualized Education Program (IEP) and how to be more involved in developing this legal document. Topics covered:
- What is an IEP?
- Who qualifies for an IEP?
- What is your role as a team member before, during and after and IEP meeting?
- Who should be at the table when planning for your child's educational needs?
- What are your child's and your rights under special education law?
- What is a reasonable accommodation for you and your child?
Presenter: Rose Spidell with the Office of the Education Ombuds Registration is required! Register online at: www.multiculturalfamilies.org Please register by October 26, 2015 FREE supervised children's activities FREE dinner FREE language support 
Questions?? Contact: Janet Inope at 253-245-6394 (Open Doors); Margo Siegenthaler at 206-252-0794 (Seattle Public Schools) For language support contact: Spanish: 253-245-6394 (Janet I.) or 253-245-7320 (Yissel O.) Somali: 253-394-8945 (Safio A.) Chinese: 206-372-1072 (Ginger K.) Cambodian/Khmer: 253-258-5158 (Jenny A.) Russian: 253-216-4479 (Olga L.) Korean: 253-391-9151 (Min C.) Japanese: 425-753-6122 (Miho O.) Ukranian: 253-216-4479 (Yuliya C.) |
| Ensuring easy access for all families in Seattle Public Schools |
To ensure information is accessible for all families in
Seattle Public Schools, the district has methods for community members to request communications assistance for district sponsored programs, events and activities. These services will be provided in an accessible format at no cost to the requester.
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| Parent and staff visit Chinese Braille Exhibit at the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library |
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| Danielle Miller, Washington Talking Book and Braille Library Program Manager with Lu Yun Wu, SPS parent, and Michael Chan, SPS Enrollment Service Facilitator and Chinese language interpreter. |
The exhibit featured China-US braille publications exchanges and cooperation, sharing cultures and collaboration making information accessible to the blind and visually impaired. There were beautiful exhibits titled, "Reading Adds Color to Arts", featuring blind musicians and dancers in China who compose and perform music that embodies different ethnic customs. The exhibit also featured braille publications in the digital age, showing APP's and software for the blind, devices for reading and listening, and low vision aids. Take aways from the exhibit included children's books of Chinese folktales written in Chinese, English and Braille. The Washington Talking Book & Braille Library is a free service for Washington residents who are unable to read standard print, including: those who are legally blind, visually impaired, deaf-blind, or cannot hold a book, turn pages or have a learning disability due to an organic dysfunction. Individual and group (school) accounts are available at the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library. Anyone can visit! 2021 9th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98121 website: www.wtbbl.org email: [email protected] (206) 615-0400 or (800) 542-0866 |
| First annual Special Education Leadership and Instructional Summits held |
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| For the first time, Seattle Public Schools held a two-day Special Education Summer Leadership Summit for principals and a week long instructional summit for new and veteran teaching staff. SPS partnered with the University of Washington to provide the leadership summit. Participants gained knowledge about the role of Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) in the instructional life of a student and strategies to support case managers who craft and implement students' Individualized Education Program (IEP). The goal was to strengthen the administrator's role in supporting an inclusive community in classrooms and in schools. The Summer Special Education Instructional Summit was held August 17-21. Newly hired special education teachers and elementary teachers of students with Emotional Behavior Disability (EBD) participated for the whole week. Veteran teachers also came for workshops throughout the week. All received clock hours to fulfill professional development requirements. When asked what the most valuable learning was, staff reported that they had a better idea of the big picture of the IEP process, gained tips on how to work with their general education peers, and learned techniques to help them motivate their students. They appreciated the time to brainstorm new ideas with other staff and one new teacher said, "this helped me towards being as ready as possible for day one." Nutritious Food was provided by the SPS SpEd PTSA for teachers at the Summer Instructional Summit! Led by President Cecilia McCormick, the Special Education PTSA sponsored a healthy, beautiful, and hearty snack that kept staff nourished on the second day. Shauna Addleman, one of our consultants from Seneca, arranged for donated snacks on other days of the Institute. Staff was very appreciative and felt well taken care of. Thank you Seattle Special Education PTSA and Seneca!
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| Cecilia McCormick, Special Education PTSA President with Juanita Peterson, Special Ed Teacher at South Shore K8 and Sunny Moroles, Special Ed Teacher at Alki Elementary School. |
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Seattle Public Schools Special Education PTSA
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All of the
meetings are held from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Date
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Day
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Location
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Sept 28
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Monday
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JSCEE (John Stanford Center)
2445 3rd Ave. S., Seattle 98124
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Oct 20
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Tuesday
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3000 California Ave., SW, Seattle 98116
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Nov 16
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Monday
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JSCEE
2445 3rd Ave. S., Seattle 98124
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Jan 11
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Monday
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JSCEE
2445 3rd Ave. S., Seattle 98124
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Feb 2
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Tuesday
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Rainier Beach High School
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Mar 1
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Tuesday
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Madrona K8
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Mar 28
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Monday
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JSCEE
2445 3rd Ave. S., Seattle 98124
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Apr 25
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Monday
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JSCEE
2445 3rd Ave. S., Seattle 98124
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May 23
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Monday
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JSCEE 2445 3rd Ave., S., Seattle 98124 |
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SPS Special Education Advisory and Advocacy Council (SEAAC)
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All meetings are held
on Tuesdays, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
* September 29, Room 2765
* November 10, Room 2772
* January 12, Room 2765
* March 15, Room 2765
* May 24, Room 2765
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Seattle Public Schools provides Equal Educational Opportunities and Equal Employment Opportunities and does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex; race; creed; color; religion; ancestry; national origin; age; economic status; sexual orientation, including gender expression or identity; pregnancy; marital status; physical appearance; disability; veteran or military status; or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal. SPS provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
SPS complies with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations, including but not limited to: Title IX, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and RCW 49.60 ("The Washington Law Against Discrimination"). SPS's compliance includes, but is not limited to all District programs, courses, activities, including extra-curricular activities, services, and access to facilities.
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Early Childhood Supervisor and team:
