|
Message from the Executive Director
|
|
Dear Families and Friends of Special Education Services in Seattle Public Schools,
We had 114 openings for positions in special education last year in Seattle Public Schools. We recognize how important it is to have highly qualified staff in our buildings. To address this, during the month of April we have recruited across the state and west coast for special education staff including teachers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech and language pathologists, as well as special education administrators.
We have offered 75 contingency contracts to special ed teachers for the 2015-16 school year. They are a super talented bunch! Now we are excited to have them interview at school sites and are looking forward to next year when they will teach your children. We are well on our way to filling every classroom with a teacher who cares, supports, and educates the whole child.
While our regional meetings are winding down this year, we will continue to host them next year. We will also continue to engage parents and guardians and get your feedback about our shared goal of a high quality educational experience for every student in Seattle Public Schools.
As always, we value and thank you for your partnership!
Sincerely,
Wyeth Jessee
Executive Director of Special Education Services
|
The SPS Special Education Ombudsperson is here to help you:
Margo Siegenthaler at (206) 252-0794
[email protected]
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:
NE Regional Supervisor:
Sherry Studley at (206) 252-0842
[email protected]
NW Regional Supervisor:
Heather Brown at (206) 252-0836
[email protected]
Central Regional Supervisor:
Patricia Campbell at (206) 252-0979
[email protected]
SE Regional Supervisor:
Beth Thorson at (206) 252--0262
[email protected]
West Seattle Regional Supervisor:
Spencer Pan at (206) 252-0887
[email protected]
Early Childhood Supervisor:
Beth Carter at (206) 252-0665
[email protected]
Private School Supervisor:
Robin Olney at (206) 252-0870
[email protected]
Director of Special Education
Michaela Clancy at (206) 252-0807
[email protected]
Director of School Based Special Education Services
Kari Hanson at (206) 252-2105
[email protected]
|
| First Community Gathering for Parents and Caregivers of Students in Elementary Emotional/Behavioral Disability Classrooms Wed. May 6, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. Madrona K8 Library 1121 33rd Ave. Seattle, WA 98122 Final Special Education Regional Meeting for the 2014-15 School Year Northwest Region Mon May 11, 6 - 7 p.m. Ballard High School Library 1418 NW 65th St Special Education PTSA Meetings Mon. May 18, 2015, 7 - 9 p.m. John Stanford Center, Auditorium Seattle Public Schools, 2445 Third Ave, Seattle, WA 98134 SEAAC Meetings Tues May 5, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Tues June 16, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. John Stanford Center, Room 2776 Seattle Public Schools, 2445 Third Ave, Seattle WA 98134 Deaf/Hard of Hearing Community Gathering Tues, May 19, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. John Stanford Center, Auditorium Seattle Public Schools, 2445 Third Ave, Seattle WA 98134 Understanding Learning Disabilities Tues, May 19, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Aki Kurose Middle School Library 3928 S. Graham Street Seattle, WA 98118 Light snack, supervised children's activities, and language support is provided. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED! To register, call: 253-216-4479 or email: [email protected] Specialized Programs and Summer Camps for Youth with Disabilities For information about Woodland Day Camps and Camp Long Overnights, call the Specialized Programs office: 206-684-4950 or go to: www.seattle.gov/parks/SpecialPops/ |
The Autism Center in Seattle
CHADD, Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
|
|
 |
|
| 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. |
| Does your child struggle with keeping up in school?... Come to a workshop on "Understanding Learning Disabilities" on May 19 at Aki Kurose Middle School |
For this workshop, Seattle Public Schools is partnering with Open Doors for Multicultural Families. This workshop will be beneficial to parents whose children have a hard time with listening/paying attention, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, math, social skills, or have been diagnosed with a Specific Learning Disability. Examples of Learning Disabilities include ADHD, Dyslexia, etc.
You will learn:
- What are Learning Disabilities?
- Signs of Learning Disabilities
- What kind of support is available at school?
- What can parents do at home?
Speaker: Sherry Studley, Special Education Services Supervisor, Seattle Public Schools
Monday, May 19, 2015
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Aki Kurose Middle School Library
3928 S. Graham St
Seattle, WA 98118
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED by May 12, 2015!
To register contact Open Doors for Multicultural Families at: 253-216-4479 or [email protected]
FREE supervised children's activities
FREE food and refreshments
FREE language support
For language support, contact:
Spanish: (253) 495-4392 (Yissel O.)
Somali: (253) 245-7304 (Hodan M.)
Korean: (253) 407-9501 (Min C.)
Japanese: (425) 753-6122 (Miho O.)
Russian: (206) 973-9974 (Olga L.)
|
| You are invited to come to the last Special Education Regional Meeting for the year |
The Special Education Department will be hosting the final Regional Meeting at Ballard High School. This is the fifth meeting we have held this spring for families and the community to learn about changes that are happening in Special Education in Seattle Public Schools and for us to listen to your ideas and concerns. Regardless of where you live, you are welcome to attend this meeting.
NORTHWEST REGION
Monday, May 11, 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Ballard High School Library
1418 NW 65th St.
Supervised children's activities and light snack will be provided. Interpreters for the following languages will be available: Spanish, Somali, Vietnamese, and Chinese. We hope to see you there!
Download a printable flyer with translations in Spanish, Somali, Vietnamese and Chinese at http://bit.ly/1NAuvo0
Questions? contact: Margo Siegenthaler at 206-252-0794,
[email protected]
|
|
| West Seattle Special Education Regional Meeting |
At each of the regional meetings, the parent portion of the meeting has been preceded by a gathering of special ed staff from schools in the region who also meet with central office staff. The staff and the parent meetings include a PowerPoint presentation by the department's leaders and a chance to ask questions and provide verbal and written feedback to the department. Overwhelmingly staff and families have appreciated the open communication and eagerness of central office staff to come to the regions to meet with them. The department also appreciates the time families and staff have given to this dialogue and plans to continue these regional meetings next school year.
To see the PowerPoint presentation from the regional meetings, click here.
|
We want your feedback and ideas! Please fill out the SPS Special Education Family Survey!
|
Unified Sports Teams Recognized at the April 22nd School Board Meeting
|
Seattle Public Schools has the largest Unified Sports program in the state of Washington. The program began in SPS 3 1/2 years ago when 100 students participated. Now there are over 650 students participating in eleven Seattle Public Schools. SPS partners with Special Olympics Unified Sports to provide this program.
At the April 22nd Seattle Public Schools Board meeting, three Unified Sports teams were recognized.
|
|
| Back Row--SPS Board Directors: Sherry Carr, Sue Peters, Harium Martin-Morris, Marty McLaren, Sharon Peaslee, Betty Patu, Stephan Blanford, and Superintendent Larry Nyland.. Front Row: Chief Sealth Unified Sports Team Champions |
|
|
| Back Row (same as above) Front Row: Ballard High School Beavers Unified Sports Team Champions |
|
|
| Back Row (same as above) Front Row: Pictured here are staff representing the five time Special Olympics Basketball champions from Ingraham High School. Ingraham also has Unified soccer and track programs. |
More about Unified Sports:
Like other team sports, Unified Sports programs bring people together. The programs promote social inclusion through shared training and competition.Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.
In Unified Sports, teams are made up of people of similar age and ability, which makes practices more fun and games more challenging and exciting for all. Having sports in common is just one way that preconceptions about people with disabilities can be eliminated.
http://specialolympics.org/unified_sports.aspx
Most Unified Sports teams are coached by volunteer school staff, parents, and community members. If you would like to have a Unified sports team at your school or if you would like to volunteer to help out, you may contact: Victoria Mehren, [email protected]
|
Inclusion Story at West Seattle Elementary
|
| "Both my son's Kindergarten teacher (last year) and first grade teacher (this year) expressed to me how great it has been to have Dempsey in their classes. They both say that accommodating Dempsey's needs has made them better teachers AND helped all of the other children in his classes. A number of parents from Kindergarten actually requested that their children be with Dempsey for first grade - they felt it made such a big difference. Also, the children with behavioral issues (who may or not have an IEP or 504) benefit because they are able to understand the negative consequences that their unpredictable and sometimes loud behavior have on my son's well being." Everyone at West Seattle Elementary, from the principal to the teachers, kids and parents all agree that having my son at their school has been an incredible blessing." -This story was shared by Daniela Hall, Dempsey's mother...Thank you Daniela! |
|
Seattle Public Schools Special Education PTSA
|
|
The Special Education PTSA is a great advocacy organization for families whose children are in special education. You are invited to come to their monthly meetings. The final meeting coming up this year is on:
Monday, May 18, 2015
All meetings are from 7 to 9 p.m., at the John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence, 2445 3rd Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98134. Second Floor, Room 2700.
We hope to see you there!
|
SPS Special Education Advisory and Advocacy Council (SEAAC)
|
The next SEAAC meetings will be on:
May 5, 2015, from 4:30-6:30 p.m., at the John Stanford Center, in Room 2776
June 16, 2015, from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m., at the John Stanford Center in Room 2776.
|
The Special Education Family Newsletter is for you!
|
The Seattle Public Schools Special Education Department uses this newsletter to provide important information for families of children who receive special education services in Seattle Public Schools. Please send your questions and ideas for information and articles to:
[email protected]
|
Seattle Public Schools ("SPS") 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.
|
|
|
