October 2007

Several people have forwarded this announcment to me, asking that I share it:

Institute for Multi-Sensory Education
30-Hour Comprehensive Training
Orton-Gillingham.com

Phoenix, Arizona
February 25-29, 2008

The Institute for Multi-Sensory Education strives for excellence in reading instruction. The training programs developed by the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education provide educators with the knowledge necessary to teach reading based on reliable research and effective practices.

The Institute for Multi-Sensory Education’s training programs provide:

• A multisensory approach to teaching reading, writing and spelling across the curriculum.
• The skills necessary to teach phonemic awareness, the alphabetic principle, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension.
• Instructional use of ongoing assessment to monitor individual strengths and needs.
• Methods that support classroom and special education teachers, reading specialists and paraprofessionals in presenting language instruction through a process of introduction, discovery, learning, review, practice and evaluation.

For additional questions regarding training information please e-mail: IMSE@Orton-Gillingham.com

The Scottsdale 2E group provides parent support for twice exceptional children, who are both gifted and have learning disabilities.  They meet monthly and have scheduled their next meeting:

At the next 2E support group meeting, Denise Cooke, school psychologist, will explain how to interpret the results of psycho-educational tests.

When:   Saturday November 10, 2007 from 10am-12pm
Where:   Mustang Library, Book Discussion Room, 10101 N 90th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Phone:   480-312-6061
Cost:   No Charge

You are encouraged to bring your child’s psycho educational test results so your specific questions can be answered. Questions? or for additional information please contact me.

Hope to see you there.

Twice Exceptional (2e) Parent Group twoeparents@yahoo.com
Laura Holgate, Chair
Affiliated with Scottsdale Supporters of the Gifted (SSG) http://azgifted.org/  
and SEPACS http://sepacs.org/

In its OUR VIEW editorial on Saturday, September 29th, the Scottsdale Tribune officially endorsed both the M&O and Capital Override initiatives that will be on the November 6 ballot.

“Current state school appropriations — based on a state funding formula the state Legislature has refused to update for 27 years — have fallen well behind the rate of inflation. The cost of education keeps rising well above the amount the state provides. It’s a difference that can be made up, at least in part, by local voters.

The Tribune urges “yes” votes on both questions on Nov. 6 or beforehand via early ballots, which will begin to be mailed out by the end of next week.”

Please request your Early Ballot by October 26th!

Please join SEPAC tonight for our presentation and panel discussion:

Effects that Disability has on Family Function:

Tactics to Survive and Thrive

with

Marty Keller, PhD & Chris Nicholls, PhD

Wednesday, October 24th
6:30-8:30 pm

Mohave District Annex
Kachina Room
8505 E. Valley View Road, Scottsdale 85250-6768

Childcare provided by local high school service group.

A reminder from “YES! to Children”:

The Maricopa County Recorder’s office has already started mailing out early ballots requested by voters for the November 6th election.

If you haven’t requested a ballot, there is still time. You can request an early ballot by completing and mailing the attached Early Ballot Request Form. You may also contact the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office directly online at https://recorder.maricopa.gov or calling 602-506-3535 and make a request.

The last day to request an early ballot is October 26.

Your ballot will be mailed to you prior to the election, and all you need to do is fill it out and drop it in the mail to make your vote count.

Don’t take the chance of a busy life getting in the way of casting your vote on Election Day.

We urge you to vote in support of both of the overrides that are on this November ballot.

Previous articles on the upcoming November 6, 2007 Bond Election

• Scottsdale School Bond Election Benefits Special Education

• Scottsdale Realtors Endorse SUSD Ballot Initiatives

• Mayors of Phoenix, Paradise Valley and Scottsdale Lend Support to SUSD Override Measures

This article from the East Valley Tribune was published almost a month ago, and just came up in my Google alert this morning.

Testing rules hamper special ed planners - September 23, 2007

My first reaction was one of disbelief, so I emailed Lois Healey, Director of Special Education for the Scottsdale School district, asking if it was indeed true.  She responded that unfortunately the rule change (disallowing accommodation during district and state testing) was true and that Tom Horne has filed an appeal with the Federal Government, but that there’s no knowing how long it will take to get a response.

Lisa Marshall emailed me that we have a new Director of Special Education (as of the beginning of 2007) at the Arizona Department of Education Exceptional Student Services. I’m not sure how we missed this announcement, but from reading the Arizona State Advisory Panel for Special Education meeting minutes, I discovered:

http://www.ade.az.gov/ess/SEAP/11-28-06.pdf

Dr. Busenbark announced that Superintendent Horne has reassigned Joanne Phillips to work on special projects for special education. She will continue to work on statutory revisions to the Arizona Revised Statues and Arizona Administrative Code. Ms. Phillips will also be concentrating on revising the Special Education AZTAS documents. At the time of the November meeting a replacement had not been announced.

.. and..

http://www.ade.az.gov/ess/SEAP/01-16-07.pdf

Lynn Busenbark, PhD, Deputy Associate Superintendent, Exceptional Student Services, introduced Colette Chapman, who is the Assistant Deputy Associate Superintendent, Exceptional Student Services. Ms. Chapman will take over the role of Deputy Associate Superintendent and State Director of Special Education when Dr. Busenbark retires in June. Dr. Busenbark also introduced Cyndi Bolewski, who is the Director in the ESS Tucson office. Ms. Bolewski is currently working with Dr. Busenbark on the Annual Performance Report and will continue to work on the report after Dr. Busenbark’s retirement.

 Contact Info for the Director of Special Education:

Colette Chapman – Deputy Associate Superintendent
Tel: (602) 542-4013
Email: Colette.Chapman@azed.gov

I’ve just added a Resources page to the SEPAC blog, with Arizona contact information published by NICHCY.  From their web site: 

Welcome to NICHCY and a wealth of information on disabilities!

NICHCY stands for the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities. We serve the nation as a central source of information on:

• disabilities in infants, toddlers, children, and youth,
• IDEA, which is the law authorizing special education,
• No Child Left Behind (as it relates to children with disabilities), and
• research-based information on effective educational practices.

Please vote in support of our children in the upcoming November 6th Bond Election.

SEPACS (Special Education Parent Advisory Council of Scottsdale) urges voters in the Scottsdale Unified School District to join us in helping kids by passing the M&O and Capital Overrides with your YES votes. This will make the educational needs of all children in our community a priority.Education in Arizona is under-funded: our state contributes only 77% of the national average to the school districts to educate our children.Children with special education needs are in even more dire straights. The SUSD M&O and Capital Overrides will impact this educational funding gap by continuing to provide more teachers in the classroom, and by allowing our district to purchase much needed materials for special education, gifted education, the fine arts, athletics, and more. The Capital Override will also fund up-to-date technology, including assistive technology.

Your YES vote on both the M&O and Capital Overrides will give our district the funds it needs to help our children succeed now, in their future years with SUSD, and ultimately to become productive members of society. Please join SEPACS in making our children a top priority – vote YES on BOTH the M&O and the Capital Overrides.

Margaret Corcoran-Smith
President

Deadline for to request your early ballot is October 26, 2007.