Special Education and Student Services Newsletter for May 22

Special Education and Student Services Newsletter for May 22


1. Cindy Gibson
I would like to thank Cindy Gibson for her years of service teaching
at our Alternative High School.  Thanks to her passion for our
students we have achieved 85% graduation rate of the most at-risk
student population, have competency class or HSED tracks for students
to participate in, and helped create the Medford Adult Diploma Academy
which now has 18 adults working to earn a HS diploma.


Cindy has resigned to accept a position as the HSED coordinator for
NTC in Wausau.  We wish her nothing but the best in her new position
and more time available with her family.


Cindy will continue to coordinate our MADA program and help support
our Taylor County Literacy Council initiatives in 12-13.


2. ELL Support in 12-13
Mauricio Rios will not be returning to his position in 12-13.  He has
been accepted into UW Stevens Point.  Congratulations to him and thank
you for all of his hard work.


3. Employability Skills Specialist
Thank you to Clarice Zenner for her work as our employability
specialist in 11-12 through the Weyerhauser Grant Fund.  She worked to
help 100% of our students find employment in 11-12. Clarice has
resigned her position at end of the year to find full time
employment.


4. Summative Evaluations
I have set aside the following blocks of time to meet with staff to
review their summative evaluations. There are 29 special education and
student services staff which are due for evaluations in 11-12.  Staff
who are being evaluated have been informed.


MAES staff will be on Friday May 25 from 7:30 to 11:30 in the MAES
Conference Room
MASH staff will be on Wednesday May 30 from 7:30 to 10:30 in the MASH
Conference Room
MAMS staff will be on Monday June 4 from 7:30 to 10:30 in my MAMS
Office


5. Wilson Reading Steps 1-6 Online Training
May 23 from 3:45 to 5:30 pm - review of Wilson Reading Steps 1-6
online and questions/information shared.  Drinks and dinner afterwards
for Wilson staff who are interested.


6. Self Procedural Compliance Review
Our LEA has been selected to complete the Procedural Compliance Self-
Assessment during the 12-13 school year.  The self-assessment uses a
sample of student IEP records and other sources.  The assessment
focuses on requirements related to the IDEA State Performance Plan
indicators and other issues of statewide significance.  All Self-
Assessment report results must be made to the DPI by November 15,
2012.  Here is a link to more information: http://dpi.wi.gov/sped/spp-selfassmt.html.
Every school district in the state participates once every five
years.


7. Spring Fling Dance
Spring Fling is our Grades 7-12 Special Education Dance.  Here is a
link to the Spring Fling video - through YouTube http://youtu.be/JfVtNvaMtyE
Thanks to Jill Chasteen for making the video.


8. Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect Training
All staff hired in 11-12 need to complete the Mandatory Reporting of
Child Abuse and Neglect Training by June 9, 2012 as required by DPI
statutes.  All other school staff need to complete this training
within 5 years.


Here is a link to the information: http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/sspw/can.html
The 16 minute video for you to watch is called: Mandatory Reporting of
Child Abuse and Neglect - Training for all School Employees. Upon
completion of the video, please contact Becky Goodrich at the D.O.
She will print off a Certificate of Completion for your records and
personnel file.


9. Special Education Advisory Council
June 4 from 4:00 to 5:30 at the D.O. Agenda has been sent out to the
Council.


10. Summer School Special Education Transportation
We have arranged a bus driver through Krugs for summer school
transportation of special education students to school who have
special transportation listed in their IEPs.  Students who receive
Extended School Year Services can also receive transportation from
school to home.


Luanne O will need to know by May 30 which students need
transportation.  Please confirm with your parents what students are
coming to summer school.


11. Transition Night for Parents/Students
Taylor County Transition Advisory Council is planning a Transition
Night for Parents/Students. The confirmed date will be November 5,
2012 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm with a dinner for those in attendance.  DVR,
Human Services, Mid State Independent Living, etc will all be invited
to have a table for representatives to talk with parents.  This night
is based on the Marshfield and Merrill/Tomahawk models.


12. Wilson Reading Just Words Training
This will be held on July 30 and 31 from 8:00 to 4:00 in Medford.
Contact Luanne Olson for registration.  The School District of Potosi
will be sending a staff member.  They learned about our training on
Twitter.


Chippewa Falls School District will be implementing the Wilson Just
Words program in 12-13.  They have offered any of our interested staff
to attend a Just Words training sometime between August 13 to 17.
They have expressed interest in consulting with and/or observing our
staff in 12-13 to help implement their model.


13. Title III English Language Learners
The Title III ELL Program Evaluation: School Improvement Planning
Checklist has been completed and sent into CESA 10.


14. Read Naturally Encore Edition
We are receiving a free 45 day trial of the Read Naturally Encore
Edition - paper version to review.  We have an increasing number of
younger elementary students in need of fluency support.  Read
Naturally is an evidence based fluency program.


15. Taylor County Transition Advisory Council in 12-13
These dates are set for 12-13 and include: September 20, October 25,
January 17, and April 18


16. Speech and Language Services in 12-13
I have been discussion with speech language staff about a potential
realignment in 12-13.


This new model would include:
- Eliza would provide therapy at MAES and MAMS
- Sheryl would provide therapy at MAES and Holy Rosary
- Ann would provide therapy at SES, MASH,and Immanual
- Eliza would be a transition for students and staff between MAES and
MAMS
- Ann would perform diagnostician role for newly referred students at
MAES
- Ann would provide Early Childhood Special Education consultation
support at SES helping keep students in their home school if possible
- We would have Wilson Reading Level II Certified staff at MASH -
providing staff and students with more support
- Combination SLP and ECSE model would be reduced in hours, but will
still provide more direct therapy for EC and SL students
- Sheryl and Eliza would create flexible grouping of students based on
disability needs, not always specific grade levels.
- Sheryl and Eliza would have higher caseloads of students, but
reduction of time with testing and team teaching would allocate some
available time.
- Increased consultation support for students on the autism spectrum
- Daily scheduled paraprofessional support time to help deliver speech
language at MAES
- Additional Wilson Reading section at MASH in 12-13
- Sheryl will pilot a 5 minute speech therapy model in summer school
to possibly implement in 12-13.
- Ann will develop and pilot a RTI for Speech Language model at SES


17. 2011 Wisconsin Act 156
This allows school districts the opportunity to offer a Technical
Education Diploma.  Information on the statutes was sent to high
school guidance and administrative team members.  These statutes were
amended to include requirements for special education students if
their resident school district adopts this Diploma option.
http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2011/related/acts/156


18. Memorial Health Center
MHC has provided me with estimated costs per hour if the school
district needs to contract with them in the future for any speech
language, OT, and/or PT services. These are paid for through flow
through funds.


19. Legal Representation at IEP meetings
The school district retains the right to have their own legal
representation at IEP meetings if the parent chooses to bring legal
representation with them.  Having legal representation at IEP meetings
is not encouraged as they are not a formal IEP team member such as a
student, parent, general education teacher, special education teacher,
related service personnel, and/or LEA representative.


20. Taylor County Reality Fair
This has been scheduled for Wednesday October 24 from 8:00 to 12:00.


21. CLC Advisory Council
This has been scheduled for June 12 from 8:00 to 9:00 am at the D.O.


22. iPad Work Time
This will be scheduled for Monday June 11 from 7:45 to 3:45 with an
hour lunch. Staff will be able to work on choosing and aligning
applications with their curriculum.


23. RTI for Specific Learning Disabilities Identification
Every building in a school district must have adopted the RTI for SLD
model prior to December 2013.  I met this week with Math RTI
specialist Jayne Haenel to review and discuss the RTI for SLD model
and how it pertains to Math.  Here is a link for more overall
information on the RTI for SLD model:
http://www.wisconsinrticenter.org/assets/files/SLD%20rule%20Brief%205...


24. Department of Vocational Rehabilitation
There has been questions by parents and staff on the role of DVR
services.  For more information go to: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dvr or
contact Taylor County DVR representative Gwen Steele.


25. Career Fair at MAMS
Thanks to Jackie Strick and Jan Farmer for their extra time and work
in organizing an 8th grade Career Fair at MAMS.


26. Special Education Bus Transportation
I would like to thank all of the staff who have supported our students
with disabilities on the bus.  We have had special education
paraprofessionals on the bus in the past couple of years and this has
proven to help insure the safety and medical needs for all of our
students.  Thank you to our bus/van drivers - Joanie Pfaff, Barb
Ruesch, and Clarice Zenner for getting our students safely to and from
school.  Thank you to our paraprofessionals like Brenda Kraegenbrink,
Barb Kinnison, Lori Buehler, Sam Henrichs, and Kathie Shaw who have
all helped students currently or in the past.


27. Taylor County Birth to Three Interagency Agreement
We met with Birth to Three, Head Start, CESA 10, Rib Lake Schools, and
Gilman Schools last week to finalize our Taylor County Birth to Three
Interagency Agreement for the next three years.


28. Playground Equipment at MAES
We are looking at adding some playground equipment at MAES during this
summer. Becky Acker has found some equipment and will/has talked to
some certified and support staff for their feedback. We would make
some re-allocations of our preschool entitlement funds to purchase.


29. Alternative High School Update
Alternative High School Exit Interviews for students will be held on
the morning of May 31.


Alternative High School Graduation will be held on Thursday May 24 at
7:00 pm at NTC campus in Medford.


Human Resources is posting the Alternative HS position (Cindy Gibson)
today to fill for 12-13.  It will require the person to have or be
able to obtain an Alternative HS Teacher license and be approved as an
NTC Instructor due to our HSED contract and services.


Rib Lake is part of our Taylor County Alternative High School
Partnership.  They now have a student attending our Alternative HS.
We bill Rib Lake an agreed upon cost to cover the prorated costs of
educating the student which helps increase our revenue and cover costs
of the program.


We have two Alternative HS students who are walking in the graduation
at MASH.


30. Facebook
We are up to 123 people following our Special Education and Student
Services Facebook page.  If you have news from your programs or
classrooms or photos that you would like to share, send them to me and
I will put them on our page.


31. School Based Mental Health Counseling in Summer
Northwest Directions is working on a letter to send to families about
their services during summer school.  We will only offer it during
summer school sessions.  The letter will be co-signed by them and the
school district.


32. Amy Wagner
Very good to see Amy Wagner and her daughter in school for a visit on
Monday.  Kadence is recovering nicely from her heart surgery.


Thank you to Karen Lach for filling in for Amy during the time which
she is gone.


33. Graduation
I would like to thank all of our student services and special
education staff for their extra work in helping our students with
disabilities and all students graduate from high school.  This is a
special moment in their lives and opportunities for great things.  You
have all helped them in your own way to help them get to this point.


34. Touch Math
Caroline Radlinger took time this week to help install the Touch Math
Grade 1 and 2 series on teacher computers. If you have not already
done so and have these disks, please contact Caroline.


35. Special Education Teacher Computers
It does not appear there will be enough special education funds to
purchase new computers for all special education staff in 12-13.


36. Sign Language for Educators
Earlier this year we held a Sign Language for Educators course.  You
were given a certificate of completion at the end of that course.  If
you did not do so, then you are encouraged to submit a copy of that to
the District Office to place in your personnel file.


37. Raccoon
I would like to thank Mr. Raccoon for causing $3,000 worth of damage
to my car on Sunday night.  If anyone needs a new hat or a fur coat,
he is lying on Hwy 29 near the Abbotsford exit.