Appreciation Awards Celebration

2008-2009 Appreciation Awards Nomination Form

Has Someone Made a Difference in Your Child’s Life?

On Thursday, June 11, 2009 AT 5:30 pm, the Holyoke Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SE PAC) will host its first Annual Appreciation Awards evening at Holyoke High School! Free dinner to be provided by Dean Vocational students.

Nominations will be accepted for those individuals who have done something special that has made a difference in your child’s life. Any parent of a child with special needs in Holyoke, including children on 504s and with out of district placement, is welcome to make a nomination. Please limit your nominations to one per child with special needs. The nominee can be a teacher, school friend, aide, bus driver, cafeteria worker, coach, etc. All who are nominated will be recognized.

Deadline for nominations to be submitted: May 15, 2009

Please tell us why you believe this person deserves to be recognized for this award via email: k.prez@comcast.net

Also, let us know if you'll be atending the Awards Celebration on June 11th @ 5:30, Holyoke High School.

PLACE Workshop

Just a reminder that we will be having Ellen Chambers, advocate and founder of Sped Watch TOMORROW NIGHT 4/15: 7 pm, School Committee Room, Longmeadow Highschool, 127 Grassy Gutter Road, Longmeadow. Please email me if you are planning to attend this workshop (even if you have already done so) so I can get a final headcount and prepare accordingly.

Your Special Education Rights

A basic understanding of the special education process & the laws that govern that process is critical to a parent's ability to work in partnership with schools on behalf of their student with special needs. We are very fortunate to have one of the state's most knowledgeable advocates to be doing this presentation for our families. This workshop promises to be informative and in depth and I hope that parents will make every effort to attend. The more parents understand the special education system and process, the better their child's outcome.

At the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:

* Identify federal & state special education regulations

* Identify resources where they can learn more about special education rights

* Define the basic legal requirements that govern special education referrals, evaluations, & eligibility determinations

* Define the basic legal requirements that govern the development of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)

* Define the basic procedural safeguards provided by special education law

* Understand the extent of their right to participate in educational decision making

* Identify the resources available to help settle disputes about a student's educational programming

* Identify the steps to take if a violation of special education law, policy or procedure is suspected