Special Education and Student Services Newsletter for June 13, 2012

Special Education and Student Services Newsletter for June 13, 2012

Chase Ried Memorial
We will be planting a tree in memorial of Chase Ried on June 28 during summer school.  Anyone who knew Chase or would like to attend are invited.  I will be confirming the projected start time of 10:00 am.

Resignation
Amy Wagner has resigned to accept a special education teaching position outside of the school district. Special thanks to her for her great work on behalf of our students with disabilities and support of peers during this school year.

Special Education Teaching Position
There will be an administrative recommendation to fill this position (Wagner).  I will be reviewing student needs, caseload sizes, and programming with staff and administration to determine where to best place this position to meet the needs of special education students across the district.  The position will then be posted no later than early next week. 

Program Support Teacher
I recommended and there was administrative discussion and agreement to create a Diagnostic Special Education Program Support Teacher position for the 12-13 school year to help me fill some of the middle/high school psychologist job responsibilities that I have incorporated.  We would not contract with CESA 10 for school psychological services ($40,000) and not fill a special education paraprofessional position (Scott) (estimated $35,000) to create this Program Support Teacher at no additional cost and some likely additional projected savings.  Total projected savings are now $56,000 to $66,000 from 11-12 to 12-13.

The role of the Program Support Teacher would be to assist special education administrative/instructional personnel.  The Program Support Teacher's primary responsibilities would be to help assist in the assessment and diagnosis of children known or suspected of having disabilities; focus upon services to children with disabilities and to special education and regular education teachers in the areas of diagnostic and intervention procedures, classroom management, curriculum development, and instructional methods; assist in the Self-Assessment of Procedural Compliance; help coordinate initial and re-evaluation process; lead SOS team process; help complete IEP evaluation paperwork; help with planning and implementation of RTI for SLD at MAMS and MASH; provide additional supports for staff who teach specialized curriculum like Wilson/Read 180; consult on autism spectrum students; IEP paperwork review; and/or help mentor new teachers in the district.

This position would also teach reading and/or math sections during the school day as student needs/schedule would require for up to 4 periods per day.

I am working on the finalized job description for this position with specific responsibilities. Preference will be given to staff with (1) cross-categorical licensure, (2) over three years of teaching experience, (3) specialized certifications, (4) evidence of competencies in classroom, individual, and group management; educational diagnosis and evaluation; leadership; curriculum development; instructional techniques; and remedial and procedural needs, and (5) strengths in writing IEPs and understanding IEP procedural process. 

If you would have an interest in transferring to this type of position or to learn more, then please contact me. I hope to post this position by early next week.

Middle School Special Education
The realignment of certified and support staff due to resignation (Wagner) and/or additional teaching support time (new Program Support Teacher) will help create additional teaching and resource support for students on the autism spectrum, caseload management support for grade levels, additional time for individual and small group counseling/social skills of students, and needed sections of Wilson Reading at MAMS in 12-13.  

Sequestration
Instead of $440,000 we will have anticipated $399,000 in federal IDEA special education funds for 12-13. This is reduction of $41,000. This is $27,000 less than we were given in 11-12. This is due to "sequestration" which is part of the Budget Control Act of 2011. More information is on this link: http://dpi.wi.gov/esea/fedsequest.html.

A-2 Remediation Assistant
Julie Scott has been offered and accepted the A2 Remediation Assistant position (Krieger) at MAMS for 12-13 pending Board of Education approval. Congrats to Julie on this position! Determination will need to be made on filling the special education assistant position (Scott).

SES Paraprofessional Support
Linda Deml has announced her plans to retire.  The administrative recommendation will be for Linda Sackmann be transferred back to SES to fill her position.

IEP Paperwork
It is the expectation of the school district that all IEP paperwork is completed prior to the end of the school year.  If paperwork was not completed, then staff will be contacted to complete the paperwork. 

RTI for SLD Training
This will be held on July 26 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm at the D.O.  We will be adopting the RTI for identification of SLD model in our elementary buildings by the start of the 12-13 school year.  Elementary Title I and Special Education Staff are encouraged to attend.  If you will be attending, please let me know.

Self Assessment of Procedural Compliance Training
An ad hoc committee will meet on July 26 from 9:00 to 11:00 am at the D.O. There will be representatives needed from each building and parents who are on the committee. If you are interested in being on this committee, please let me know.  

Taylor County Alternative High School Advisory Council
We met earlier today (June 13).  There was discussion on whether the Alternative HS classroom should continue in same location or move to the NTC building in future years.  It was determined to contact NTC to ask them about room availability. 

Early Education
I would anticipate that we will have 7 sections of Pre-Kindergarten and 3 sections of Early Childhood Special Education for the 12-13 school year.  This would involve one of our pre-kindergarten teachers with a dual licensure to teach sections of early childhood special education for EC and/or Kindergarten support. 

Expert 21
Beth van der Berg and Shari Gajewski will be attending an Expert 21 training in Rosendale on August 23 and 24.

Medford Adult Diploma Academy
Medford Adult Diploma Academy will be open for classes during Summer 2012. We will begin on June 11 and run on Mondays & Wednesdays from 4-8 pm and Thursdays from 10-2 pm. MADA is free and for adults 18 and older who wish to earn a high school diploma. Please contact Cindy Gibson at 715-748-1520 for more information.

Navigating College Handbook
Here is the link to the Navigating College Handbook which was provided by the Northern Regional Center for CYSHCN

Taylor County Literacy Center
Taylor County Literacy Council is opening a Literacy Center. This will begin on June 18 and be open on Mondays from 12:00 to 4:00 pm and Wednesdays from 4:00 to 8:00 pm. It is located in the NTC Campus here in Medford. Reading literacy, financial literacy, health literacy, ELL, tutoring, classes, and more can be provided for individuals. Please contact Cindy at 715-748-1520 for more information.

Wilson Just Words Training
We have signed the contract for the Wilson Just Words training on July 30 and 31 here in Medford.  Katharine Campbell is our instructor.  We have no more spots available for the training available at this time.  We have reached our maximum number of 30. 

Wilson Reading Training
There will be a Wilson Reading Training on August 13-15 in Pewaukee at CESA 1 taught by Katharine Campbell.  Staff who will be new to teaching Wilson Reading in 12-13 will be asked to attend. If you are interested, please contact Becky Goodrich at the D.O.

iPad Curriculum Time
Thank you to all of the staff who attended the iPad Curriculum training this week.  Special thanks to Jessica Sherfield and Dennis Hinderliter for their extra work this week in getting the iPads ready for summer school. 

Leveled Literacy/Guided Reading
There are Leveled Literacy/Guided Reading trainings this week on Thursday and Friday.  Misty Galli will be attending as the special education teacher representative along with the other Title I and regular education teachers in attendance.

Summer School
Summer school begins on Monday June 18.  Thank you to the certified and support staff for their extra work during the summer providing additional education for our students. 

Alternative High School Advisory Council
We met earlier today for our Alternative High School Advisory Council.  Introduction of our new teacher - Kellie Keene and new administrator - Don Everhard for 12-13 was done.  There was discussion on the vacant assistant position (Keene) and whether to fill the position; whether to maintain our Alternative HS classroom in the current location or look to move into the new NTC building when that is completed; and whether to increase the rate of agreement of costs between Rib Lake and Medford.