Special Education and Student Services Newsletter for January 19, 2012

1. Prayers and Sympathy for Family and Friends of Sierra Buchkowski
MASH HS student Sierra Buchkowski passed away yesterday afternoon.  Our student services team was available to provide counseling for staff and students in need.  Prayers and sympathy for Sierra's family, friends, and teachers at this time.

2. Speech Language Pathologist - LTS
Eliza Decker will be starting her leave today.  Mark Arndt will be her long term substitute starting this afternoon and continuing until end of January.

Best wishes to Eliza and her baby on a safe delivery.

3. Student Services Team meeting
Our next Student Services Team meeting has been scheduled for Monday February 20 from 1:30 to 3:30 at the District Office. Agenda will include:

1. Child Abuse Reporting and Neglect Training in Compliance with Wisconsin Act 81
2. Section 504 legal update
3. New Safety Trainings in Schools requirements
4. Student Services Activities Google Calendar
5. Suicide Prevention Policy review
6. Medford Adult Diploma Academy update
7. Round Table of Community Providers update
8. School Nursing Resources from DPI
9. Round Table updates
10. Other business

Student Services Team members should plan on attending. If anyone else is interested in this information, please let me know.

4. Snoball Dance in Ladysmith
Snoball Dance in Ladysmith will be held on February 1.  This is for middle and high school students with moderate disabilities.  Thank you to Brenda Ann, Linda, Darlene, Bonnie, and Brenda helping support the students on the trip and at the dance.

5. Spring Fling Dance for Students in Grade 7-12 Special Education
Our annual Spring Fling Dance for students in Grade 7-12 Special Education has been scheduled for Friday April 13 from 12:30 to 2:30 at MASH.

6. Social Media and Safety For Teens
Student Services Team members are planning to attend a webinar today (Thursday) at 1:00 pm at MAMS in the conference room. MAMS Guidance Counselor Jackie Strick found this webinar.

Learning Objectives: Insights into dangerous digital situations and trends; How to help kids reduce the risk of becoming a victim of harassment, cyberbullying, digital exploitation or social-media assault; Tips for using a "Digital Risk Assessment" with students, staff and parents; Recommendations for discussing complex and ever-changing cyber-situations with students; and How to handle real-life cases involving digital dangers and dilemmas

7. Wisconsin Assistive Technology Resources
Here is the link to many updated Assistive Technology resources on the DPI site: http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/sped/at-wati-resources.html

8. List of Resources Related to Functional Behavioral Assessments
DPI link to FBA resources including those specifically for students with autism: http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/sped/sbfba.html. School Psychologists, EBD teachers and I also have FBA forms and examples that have been used in the past for anyone interested.

9. Attendant Care Services Billing
From CESA 10 for our special education staff:
I got your packet of School Based Services documentation yesterday.  Wow, you guys are busy in Medford.  A big thanks to you and if you could forward a “thanks so much” to the staff for keeping such good documentation.  Everything sent is always very neat and organized which makes it nice for entering documentation.  Please tell them how much I appreciate their efforts and efficiency!

Heidi Wold CPS/CAP
CESA 10
Special Education Department
Phone: 720-2058

10. Special Education Meeting and IEP recommendations:
Please contact Luanne with any questions about these recommendations:

1. Please have IEP  meeting invitation information to Luanne at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

2. Send only 1 unstapled copy of the IEP.

3. If you use the Print ALL options under forms, please uncheck the invitation before printing if the meeting has been held.

4. Do not staple the Attendant Care sheets.  All of them have to be copied, which means the staple just has to be removed.

5. Be sure to update the Educational Environment Code in Skyward.  Selecting an option on the EE-1 form does not auto fill the EE box in Skyward.

6. Contact Luanne to delete programs that do not indicate services received.  For example, Skyward always provides a service for an entire year.  The 7th grade placement will need to be deleted for an eighth grader, the 8th grade information will have to be deleted for the 7th grade year.

11. School Psychologist - Long Term Substitute
We did have an email correspondence from a potential LTS for our MAMS/MASH School Psychologist position. This was forwarded to us from CESA 10.  I have not heard back from her in several days if she is still interested in the position.

12. Sharing Information with a Guardian Ad Litum
We have a special needs student who has been appointed by the Court with a Guardian Ad Litum.  There to be treated as a parent and have access to any information that a parent would.  For more information about Sharing Information Across Systems - here is the DPI guidance book: http://dpi.wi.gov/sspw/pdf/sharing.pdf

13. Autism Resources from the District
https://sites.google.com/a/medford.k12.wi.us/specialed/home/autism

14. ELL Translator Update
Vanessa Brandner is our ELL translator for MAMS and MASH.  She will be going back to school starting second semester.  She will know more about her schedule this week.  This will allow us to determine how much time she can still work for the district.  We will look for a substitute on the days that she is not here.  If you know of anyone who might be interested, please let me know.

15. Wilson Reading Level II Certification Online Training
We will hold a Wilson Reading Level II Certification Online Training on Wednesday January 25 from 3:30 to 5:30 at MAES.

16. iPad for ELL
We will be receiving an iPad for use with our ELL students through CESA 10 Title III Consortium.  There will be a distance learning informational session on Thursday January 26 at 3:00 pm.

17. iPad/Educational Technology Training
We will meet on Tuesday January 31 from 4:00 to 5:00 pm. Anyone is able to attend if interested. Agenda will include:

1. Review of the following links:
The iPad in Echo Reading, 3R's and Literacy
http://appitic.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=...

A Collection of 1300 Apps for Educators
http://appitic.com/

Apps in Education
http://appsineducation.blogspot.com/

Super Book of Web 2.0 Tools for Educators
http://www.scribd.com/doc/45186316/Super-Book-of-Web-Tools-for-Educators

K-5 iPad Apps for Remembering:
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/ipad-apps-elementary-blooms-taxomony-dia...

Facebook and Twitter Guides for Educators
http://smartboardgoodies.com/2011/11/16/facebook-twitter-guides-for-e...

iPads in Schools Live Binder
http://www.livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit?id=26195

2. Introduction and Practice with Apps Related to Phonics and Word
Games
3. Application Rubric
4. Round table of favorite apps that teachers are currently using
5. Newest applications in our iTunes account
6. Questions and Answers 

18. Special Education Budget
Budget information has been sent out to all the certified special education staff.  If you have any questions, please let me know.

19. Student Services Budget
Our Student Services budget will see a reduction of $7,000 from 11-12 to 12-13 due to budgetary restraints in the school district. This will mean reductions for some of the following areas: 50% Police Liaison salary and benefits, curriculum for at-risk students (Read 180, Wilson, Just Words, Vmath), newborn project, conference and registration fees, Advisory Councils (TAC, School Health, EC), School Health supplies (AED, CPR Training), LVEC, ELL Program curriculum, PBIS, Red Ribbon, Reality Fair, AODA, Laws of Life, AP Courses, Student Services Newsletter, HSED contract for incarcerated youth, Athletic Drug Tests, and/or Professional Memberships.

20. Families Being Involved Workshop
FBI - Movie on the Big Screen for our parents and children will be held this Friday January 20 at SES in the afternoon.

21. Child Development Day and Pre-Kindergarten Registration
These will be held on Thursday March 8 from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.  Information will be placed in the local newspapers and on the radio starting the 1st week in February.

22. Memorial Health Center
We received the contract terms from Memorial Health Center if we need to contract with them for Speech Language, OT, PT, or COTA services.  Speech Language is available 2-3 hours per week in certain situations.  We have already started our COTA contracted services through them until our licensed COTA starts full time.

23. Taylor County Interagency Communications Committee
Our Taylor County Interagency Communications Committee meeting has been scheduled for Thursday March 15.  We will meet from 9:00 am to 11:00 am at the Medford Area Public School District Office.

The Taylor County Interagency Communications Committee is our annual meeting of Judge Ann Knox Bauer, District Attorney Karl Kelz, County Sheriff, Local Police, Rib Lake School District, Gilman School District, Medford Area Public School District administration and student services staff, Board of Education, District Medical Advisor, Human Services, Health Department, Prevention Council, Parent Resource Center, and other community stakeholders.

Agenda will include, but not be limited to:
1. Cyberbullying/social networking/bullying & girls and legal implications
2. Mandatory Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting training
3. Carrying Concealed Weapons Law in Schools
4. Appropriate Use of Seclusion and Physical Restraint in Schools - New Bill effective 9-1-12
5. Wisconsin Act 309 update - Bullying, School Safety Plans, School Safety Drills, and Sharing Information Across Systems
6. Truancy
7. Round table updates

24. NWEA Testing
Most buildings are finishing up their NWEA Testing this week for our students with disabilities. Thank you to the staff for making these arrangements for their students to participate.