Charter School of Excellence Special Education Fall Newsletter

Transcription

1 Charter School of Excellence Special Education Fall Newsletter Visit us at: charterschoolofexcellence.org The Maritime Center 426 Eagle Point Blvd. Erie, PA voice fax The Leadership Center 1511 Peach Street Erie, PA voice fax The Skills Center 1309 French St. Erie, PA voice fax The Mission of the Perseus House Charter School of Excellence is to provide a variety of educational opportunities to foster academic excellence through partnerships with family, community, and school. From the Special Education Director s Desk... The falling leaves of trees and the smell of evergreens provide me with daily reminders that winter and the holiday season will be here soon. The beginning of the school year has quickly past and with that comes the anxiety of assessments for students and the staff. I would like to remind all parents/guardians that depending on your child s grade level, assessments may include various forms of in classroom formative, student centered diagnostic, quarterly benchmarks, and yearly summative assessments. The Charter School of Excellence (CSE) recognizes that as a parent of a child with special needs you have unique challenge every day. In addition to the assessments, report cards, and parent conferences, you also have IEP meetings and IEP Progress Reports as well as daily challenges specific to your child. With much accomplished and much more to do across the CSE, I am looking forward to addressing the many challenges the school year is certain to bring. I am sure that we have the right people here to accomplish great things. And I have seen firsthand the exemplary work of all CSE staff. Parents and students should not hesitate to call me at if there is anything I can do to assist you in for the school year. Best wishes on a wonderful year! Thanks again for being a partner in your child s education. Christopher Fortin, Director of Special Education Newsletter Volume IV This publication can also be found on the CSE website

2 An Introduction to the Special Education Department Staff Transition Coordinator Stacey Viglione- Stacey started at CSE 9 years ago in the Special Education Department. She holds a Teaching Degree in Special Education. She believes students need to be surrounded by a team of people who understand their vision and work together to achieve the student s goals and dreams. A High School Diploma is the first step. She travels to all 3 schools. Special Education Case Manager Suzanne Jackson- Suzanne Jackson - Suzanne joined the Perseus House, Inc. team in In 2010, she began working with the Charter School as a Special Education Case Manager. Her role is to coordinate, monitor, evaluate and advocate for multiple services to meet the specific student s needs and to accurately generate appropriate state and school mandated paperwork. She travels to all 3 schools. She was awarded the prestigious staff of the year for the school year. Message from the Principal of the Maritime Center The Special Education Program at the Maritime Center consists of multiple levels of intervention that involve a number of our faculty members. We have 3 certified Special Education Teachers that are also highly qualified in other content areas such as, Math, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. Our SE teachers also provide support to other teachers with adapting lessons, implementing accommodations and delivering the IEP to our students. Chris Primavere, M. Ed. Principal- is certified as a K-12 Principal and has his Superintendent s Letter of Eligibility. He has a master s degree in Educational Leadership and undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice. Chris has worked for Perseus House for 18 years in the residential, community and school-based settings. Marisa Adiutori,- Marisa has been with CSE for 4 years. She holds a teaching certification in special education teacher and elementary education. She is also finishing her Masters in Special Education. Marisa is a wonderful resource at Maritime Center for students experiencing difficulty and needing additional interventions. Stacie Leubbert, Special Education Teacher- Stacie is certified in the areas of Language Arts, Elementary Education, and holds a Master s degree in Special Education. She currently teaches Learning Support Language Arts, Reading, Language Arts, and Skills and Applications at the Maritime Center. Ryan Flynn, Special Education Teacher- Ryan is certified in the areas of Language Arts, Math, and Special Education. He also holds a Master s degree in Special Education. He currently teaches Science, Math, and Skill Building.

3 Message from the Principal of the Leadership Center At the Leadership Center we currently employ three highly qualified Special Education Teachers. Our administrative staff is well seasoned in Special Education Law and we pride ourselves in our ability to deliver the highest quality education to our special need students. Dana LaFata, Principal- He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Wayne State University and his Masters of Education Degree in Ed. Leadership from Lynn University in Boca Raton FL. He then taught LA for 4 years at Deerfield Beach High School before becoming a LA teacher at CSE for three years , Assistant Principal for 2011 and finally the Principal of LC which he has held for two years. Mindy Boyd, Special Education Teacher- Mindy has been teaching at the Charter School for 8 years. She has a certified degree in Special Education. Throughout the past 8 years she has been working with multiple levels of learners in many different ways. She has helped many students meet success. She was awarded Teacher of the Year in the school year. She teaches Personal Development, pushes in with Learning Support Math and created the curriculum for the Skills and Applications course. Kristen Burdick, Special Education Teacher- Kristen earned her M.Ed. in Special Education from Edinboro University of PA in She is certified to teacher N-12 Special Education, 7-12 Language Arts, and also holds a Bachelor of Science in K-12 Art Education. This is her first year teaching at Leadership Center. She provides small group instruction and lessons that are geared toward all learning styles. Brittany Yost, Special Education Teacher Brittany teaches Social Studies to students in grades She holds a master s degree in Special Education (K-12) and is also certified to teach middle school and high school social studies. Success is not to be measured by the position someone has reached in life, but the obstacles he has overcome while trying to succeed. Booker T. Washington

4 Message from the Principal of the Skills Center The Charter School of Excellence Skills Center offers a unique high school environment in the historic first floor of Lovell Place. The Skills Center opened in August 2010 and offers a rigorous curriculum for motivated high school students. The Skills Center offers flexible scheduling with options to create an Individualized Learning Plan for all students. The Charter School of Excellence Skills Center offers diverse courses that prepare students for a variety of careers and to make real-world connections to schoolwork. Renee Gordon, Principal- She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees at St. Bonaventure University. She is currently enrolled in the Organizational Learning and Leadership Doctoral Program at Gannon University. She is currently working on her dissertation focused on the transition of English Language Learner s during the resettlement process with the collaboration of social service and educational institutions. In her free time, Mrs. Gordon likes to snow shoe throughout trails in Erie county and in the summer likes to support Therapy Dogs United by going with her dog, Fenway, to volunteer at local libraries and nursing homes. Jonathan Miller, Special Education Teacher-Jonathan Miller, Special Education Teacher- Jon currently teaches 3 levels of Algebra 1, Financial Literacy, and Integrated Math for the new Maritime Middle School Skills Center High School Dual- Enrollment Program.! Jon feels Skills Center is such a great atmosphere to taste-test the real world. After going through the programs such as workforce, personal development, college track - students can feel confident about living independently in their community. Amorette Ross, Special Education Teacher- Amorette is in her second year teaching at the Charter School of Excellence. Last year, she worked at the Maritime Center and this year, she is at the Skills Center. She instructs high school students in the areas of learning support language arts, regular education language arts, learning support personal development and writing composition. She is very excited to be able to assist in the development of the learning support personal development curriculum in order to transition students to life after high school. Denine Noonan, Reading Specialist and Special Education Teacher-The Skills Center is very pleased to announce Mrs. Denine Noonan as the new Reading Specialist and Special Education Teacher. Mrs. Noonan was raised in Erie, PA and lives with her husband and two children in Greene Township. She graduated from Edinboro University with a B.S. in Early/Elementary Education and later received her M.S. in Special Education from Mercyhurst University. In 2011, Mrs. Noonan decided to go back to school and pursue her Masters in Reading from Edinboro University Mrs. Noonan is very excited to take on this new role at the Skills Center and begin a new chapter in her life. Kim Reid, Special Education Teacher- Kim has taught at the Charter School of Excellence for 9 years. She is certified in Special Education and Math. She began at Leadership when it first opened its doors as a charter school. She also worked at Hamilton and is currently teaching math at the Skills Center. Kim has been involved with our Work Force, and Skill Building courses. Shared Values All members of the charter school community, including students, teachers, support staff, administrators, and board members are committed to the following beliefs and values: We will create a safe environment to promote self-growth. We believe that all students are capable. We embrace and celebrate diversity. We believe in citizenship honor the golden rule. We will help students develop a sense of purpose. We value hard work and expect top performance from faculty and students. We believe that family and community must provide support for students to reach their highest potential.

5 FAQ about Special Education at CSE Q: Does CSE give parents the help they may need to play an active role in their child s education? A: Yes. CSE has a Parental Advisory Board. We invite all parents and students to Open House and hold parent conferences twice during the school year. Parent information can also be located online at charterschoolofexcellence.org Q: At the IEP meeting will we discuss how my child will participate in statewide assessments? A: Yes. This can be discussed at any meeting. State assessments such as the Keystone and PASA are addressed within the annual IEP. Q: Will the teachers communicate regularly with me regarding my child s progress on IEP goals? A: Yes. Teachers are continuously monitoring student progress. Teachers are required to have monthly contact with parents. Report Cards that are standards based demonstrate a student s growth each quarter. For Special Education students the IEP Team will determine how often a parent will receive progress monitoring on their students IEP Goals. Q: Do I have choices with regard to services that address my child s needs? A: Yes. You are a crucial part of the IEP Team for your child. Your expertise and knowledge as we develop programming specific to your child s needs is greatly wanted and appreciated at CSE. Q: Will CSE provides information on agencies that can assist my child in the transition from school? A: Yes. CSE Has a Transition Coordinator who works primarily on developing Transition Plans with Special Education students. CSE also has a Transition Council (START Team) that works with community agencies to link students with appropriate resources prior to graduation. Q: Can CSE explain what options parents have if they disagree with a decision of the school? A: Yes. Procedural Safeguards are given to parents at every Annual IEP Meeting. The Special Education Director is also available to collaborate with an IEP Team. Q: Will staff at CSE respect my cultural heritage? A: Yes, the CSE takes pride in honoring not only cultural diversity, but also by recognizing each student s strengths and talents and using them to develop individualized planning to meet the needs of the students. Q: Does CSE ensure that I have fully understood the Procedural Safeguards? (the rules in federal law that protect the rights of parents) A: Yes, at CSE, each time the Procedural Safeguards document is given, parents are asked if they understand their rights and have any questions regarding SE law. At any time, if you have any questions regarding the Procedural Safeguards, please contact any staff member within the Special Education Department for further information and assistance.

6 Parent Engagement Parent Engagement begins with building your knowledge of Special Education and by developing an understanding of what your child s needs are in the school setting. The CSE Special Education Newsletter will continue to highlight some of the key terms you may hear during an IEP Meeting. A Local Educational Agency (LEA) is a school district, charter school, or other educational entity responsible for providing free, appropriate, public education in accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Education statutes, regulations, and policies with or without support from other agencies. The Medical Assistance Program (MA) assures access to quality healthcare for Pennsylvanians eligible for services. Sometimes referred to as Medicaid, it provides payment for health care services on behalf of children with limited income and children with disabilities. An Intermediate Unit (IU) is a regional educational agency that provides services to local educational agencies including curriculum, special education, technology and information services, human resources, instruction, and professional development. Our IU5 is located in Edinboro. The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) provides vocational rehabilitation services to help individuals with disabilities prepare for, obtain, and maintain employment.tinyurl.com/pa-ovr The Parent Education and Advocacy Leadership (PEAL) Center is one of two Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) in Pennsylvania funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The PEAL Center is an organization of parents of children with disabilities reaching out to assist other parents and professionals. It provides workshops, training, and information about early intervention, special education, and inclusive education. Parent advisors are available to provide families with information about the special education process and problem-solving strategies. The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is the state agency that holds the ultimate responsibility for the state supervision of all schools and educational programs in the commonwealth. PDE s mission is to lead and service the educational community to enable each individual to grow into an inspired, productive, fulfilled, lifelong learner. More parent information can be located by visiting the following sites on the web: charterschoolofexcellence.org PaTTAN.net Pealcenter.org iu5.org Or by contacting the Charter School SE Director, Chris