December 2007

Courtesy of Lisa Dee Meyerson Marshal, SEPAC VP Strategic Relationships:

Raising Special Kids will have High School Transition workshops for transition from high schol to post secondary education, employment and life in the community on the following dates:

Jan 9, Jan 30, Feb 13 and Feb 21 (all from 4 to 6 PM)

Call 602-242-4366 to register.

From Barb Ross at the Arizona Department of Education:

If you know of any parents interested in attending this Assistive Technology training please contact Bruce Kennedy with ADE/AT division on how to apply for those scholarships. Just scroll down for his contact information. The training fee will be waived, travel expenses, etc would need to be paid by the parents or another organization.

Barbra Ross
Parent Information Network Specialist
East Maricopa County
Arizona Department of Education
Exceptional Student Services
480-607-3030
FAX: 480-443-0351
Toll Free: 800-352-4558
Barbra.Ross@azed.gov
www.azed.gov/ess/pinspals

Just wanted to give you a reminder….

The AT Team would like to welcome up to 2 parents at this (see flier) TLC Training session on a “scholarship” basis. Naturally, any travel expenses will need to come from another source or paid by the attendees.

Thanks,

Bruce A. Kennedy, MPA
Assistive Technology Specialist
Arizona Department of Education
Exceptional Student Services
2384 Steves Blvd
Flagstaff AZ 86004
Ph: (928) 679-8107
Fx: (928) 679-8124
bruce.kennedy@azed.gov

At our November SEPACs meeting, parents requested that the district provide a written overview of each type of Special Education program available.  The district has provided SEPACs with copies of their overviews and also a matrix sharing the schools that host each program.  This information has been added to our web site Program page, as of today.  If you have any questions about the specifics of any program, please contact the Scottsdale Special Education Department.

Thank you Laura Holgate and Julie Schmoker for this timely reminder and tip for targetting your school tax contribution to Special Education.

Help Scottsdale Unified School District while reducing your state tax bill! Arizona law allows taxpayers to receive a tax credit of up to $200 for individual filers and up to $400 for married filers. You can claim the tax credit when filing your 2007 Arizona State Income Tax. The school must receive the funds by December 31, 2007. Click here to contribute online.

Your tax credit donation is used for:
~Tutoring
~Field trips
~Overnight trips
~Athletic programs

…. OR ….

Taxpayers can specify that their credit go directly to the Special Education program at their school. Most schools do not have a Special Education category in the pull down box on the Internet (Chaparral being an exception) and it’s not on alot of the school’s forms. You can write it in on the form as you are turning it in at the school.

If you have additional questions, contact the Scottsdale Unified School District at 480-484-6143, or the Arizona Department of Revenue

.

Please join us for an IEP Workshop on January 16th.

IEP specialists include:

• Barb Ross – Parent Information Network
• Kim Yamamoto – Raising Special Kids
• Jill Pearns – Raising Special Kids

Wednesday, January 16th, 6:30-8:30 pm

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

Shauna Mattson, SEPAC secretary, documented the questions and answer from our meeting with the Scottsdale District Special Education Department on November 28th.  The meeting notes are now posted on our web site for your review under Meetings.

Some of the questions included:

1. How can they help us so that parents who are advocating for their children are not seen as adversarial by the administration?
2. What can be done to improve the electives for students in Middle School and High School to allow for accommodations in more electives?
3. What is being done to help students with highly functioning autism and Asperger’s to be more main-streamed vs. special education?
4. AIMS-why can’t there be any accommodations for this test?

Lois Healey passed out a packet with the programs that are available, a description of each program, who the program is best suited for, and which schools offer which programs. Copies of these programs are now posted on our web site.

Pam Murphy, SEPAC program director, passed on this Attention Deficit Disorder resource to share with you:

ADD Resources, the first choice for quality ADHD information

Founded in 1993, Attention Deficit Disorder Resources (ADD Resources) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization run mostly by adult volunteers with ADHD. We are dedicated to supporting, educating and serving as a resource for people with ADHD.

The mission of Attention Deficit Disorder Resources is to help people with ADHD achieve their full potential through education, support and networking opportunities.

Attention Deficit Disorder Resources maintains an educational website, a bookstore, and a lending library with over 450 titles of ADHD books, audiotapes and videos.

We’ve added a link to this site from our SEPACS web resources pages, too.

From Lisa Meyerson:

Holiday Lights & Train Ride at McCormick Stillman Railroad Park

Wednesday, December 12, 2007
6:30 to 8:00 PM

Lots of fun with free train rides to see the extensive light displays, games, visits with Santa, free hot chocolate and cookies, etc.

The park is open at night for the general public for the holiday lights displays starting on Friday and has a members only preview night on Thursday.

McCormick Stillman is always great about giving our kids a special night the Wednesday before the park opens to the public. Hope to see some of you there.

Come listen to Pam Murphy share information and insight about the Special Education Parents Advisory Council at the Scottsdale Parent Council’s Monthly General Meeting on:

Tuesday, December 11th at 9:30 am
SUSD Education Center
3811 N. 44th St.

Learn about other parent groups within the SUSD and how they serve students

• Pam Murphy from SEPAC, Special Education Parent Advisory Council
• Linda Levitt from SSG, Scottsdale Supporters of the Gifted
• Claudia Swartz from AIE, Arts in Education
• Francesca Thomas will share information regarding tax credit funds with the group – ways to spend funds, ways to get funds.

As always, Dr. Baracy will join us for an informal chat with an opportunity for you to ask questions.