CONNECTI ONS
      A Quarterly Newsletter From the Parent Network of the Capital Region (PNCR)
PNCR's mission is to provide parents with knowledge, skills, and resources to facilitate productive relationships with their school districts, ensuring an appropriate education for their child.  All services are offered at no cost.
In This Issue...

Question of the Quarter

Upcoming Events

News and Notes 

Recommended Reading 
 
Quick Links
 

Recommended Reading  
*This quarter's featured book and many more resources are available at PNCR's resource lending library! 
     
Click on the book cover below to read reviews and look inside at Amazon.com. 
 
 
*Getting the Most Out of IEPs. An Educator's Guide to the Student-Directed Approach " by Colleen A. Thoma and Paul Wehman

"Extremely well done . . . will be an excellent resource for teachers as well as parents as they work to promote student-directed IEPs."--Jim Heiden"Superintendent, School District of Cudahy, Past President of Division of Career Development and Transition, Council for Exceptional Children." (04/01/2010)
 
To Inquire About Availability or Borrowing,
 
Contact the PNCR Office @ 518-640-3320.




The Capital District online guide to everything for kids, teens, & families.

 

An online resource for special needs services, offering practical resources for home, school and community.
 
     
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Winter Issue 
December 2016

Greetings!

As 2016 comes to a close, take time to reflect on the happenings of the past year. The struggles. The triumphs and accomplishments. Goals achieved and those yet to be set.  
 
When reflecting on a child's academic progress remember to review his/her most recent " IEP Progress Report ".  Periodic reports on the progress a student is making toward the annual goals must be provided to students' parents at least as often as parents of non-disabled students are informed of their child's progress (frequency is indicated on the student's IEP) . Generally, these "IEP Progress Reports" are included with report cards or sent to parents shortly thereafter.  Indicators of a quality report include:
  • The frequency and manner of reporting to parents is determined in consideration of a student's unique needs.
  • Progress is reported to parents in a manner that is understood by them (e.g., jargon-free) and is objective, not subjective.
  • Specific data is included in measurable terms regarding the extent to which the student is progressing towards meeting annual goals.
  • The information included in reports to parents is sufficient to identify a student's lack of progress early enough that the Committee could, if necessary, reconvene to review and, if appropriate, revise the student's IEP to ensure the student is provided the appropriate supports to reach the annual goals.
Over the next few months, parents, teachers, and other CSE team members will come together to review and discuss students' strengths, needs, learning preferences, academic progress, accommodations, and modifications in order to develop an appropriate IEP for the 2017-2018 school year. Parents' meaningful participation, as  equal members of the CSE team, is heavily reliant on parents understanding and monitoring their child's educational program, supports and services, academic progress, and maintaining ongoing open communication with the child's educational team throughout the school year.  If you are a parent (or know one) who would like assistance preparing for an upcoming IEP annual review/CSE team meeting, contact the PNCR office to speak to an Education Resource Specialist or register to attend an upcoming workshop. 

Wishing You the Best,
Bonnie, Liz, Mary, and Sheri 
Question of the Quarter

Regents Exams... 

The PNCR office was recently contacted with the following question.

Q: "All Regents Exams are scheduled for administration during a three-hour exam session. My child receives extended time (2x) for all exams allowing for a 6 hour administration for each Regents Exam.  My child has two Regents Exams scheduled on the same day potentially creating 12 hours of exams on a single day. This is not appropriate for my child.  Can the Regents Exams be administered to my child on separate days?"
 

A:  
Yes! The Regents Exam schedule can be adjusted for the student provided the student's IEP includes a testing accommodation for flexibility in scheduling/timing includes administration of state assessments over multiple days.  Implementation of this testing accommodation still requires prior written approval from NYSED.  Requests for approval must be made in writing and submitted to NYSED at least three months prior to the scheduled exam administration.  For more detailed information visit: 
 Events, News and Notes

 
PNCR Staffing Update
Diane Miller, PNCR's Outreach Specialist has accepted a full time position as a Family Support Specialist working on the NYS PROMISE Project.   Diane's outreach and networking efforts resulted in many of the newly formed community partnerships the PNCR experiences today.Diane joins a host of other project members throughout the state to explore the best ways to help kids with disabilities receiving SSI successfully transition from high school to adulthood.   While we will miss having Diane in her outreach role, we will still have the pleasure of working with her through the NYS PROMISE Project. 

PNCR Facebook (FB)  
PNCR's FB page began the year with 735 page likes and grew our following by 373 - ending the year with 1108 FB page followers.  That's a 51% increase!!  That is 373 additional families with whom we can share special education and disability related information and resources.  If you are on FB but haven't yet liked our page, you ARE missing out!! 
Check out and LIKE our FB page here:  https://www.facebook.com/ParentNetworkCapitalRegion/

Below are a few of PNCR's Facebook posts from the last three months that resulted in the highest engagement, views, reactions, shares, and likes. Click on a link in case you missed a post!
Upcoming PNCR Events
Wednesday January 11, 2017 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM EST @ Saratoga Spring Public Library
The lives of most children are filled with joy & laughter and friends & classmates. Some children however, seem unable to make important connections with peers & as a result are often isolated & ignored. This movie explores the causes and consequences of "social incompetence" and provides powerful strategies for teaching friendship skills.

Wednesday January 18, 2017 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM EST @  PNCR Offices (Wildwood Programs)
This workshop takes participants through each section of the IEP & provides information on required content. We will explore the IEP as a strategic planning document and discuss the IEP development process, the role of parents as equal members of the committee, how the IEP guides instruction, and also look at the CSE/CPSE as a process.

Wednesday January 18, 2017 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM EST @  PNCR Offices (Wildwood Programs)
This workshop takes participants through each section of the IEP & provides information on required content. We will explore the IEP as a strategic planning document and discuss the IEP development process, the role of parents as equal members of the committee, how the IEP guides instruction, and also look at the CSE/CPSE as a process.

Tuesday January 24, 2017 from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM EST @ Clifton Park Half Moon Public Library
The impact of bullying is devastating in many ways particularly for students with disabilities. This workshop will provide overviews of bullying in school and special considerations for students with disabilities including strategies used by schools for prevention, federal/state laws that address bullying, and guidance for parents on what to do.

Monday January 30, 2017 from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM EST @ Van Antwerp Middle School (Niskayuna CSD)
It's that time of the year-the time when school districts and parents meet to develop a new IEP for the next school year. Join us as we share tools and tips parents need to help prepare for their child's Annual Review CSE/IEP Meeting.  This training will also cover all sections of the IEP and how they relate to the CSE meeting.

We update our training calendar often.  Visit our training calendar/website often for the latest training schedule.



New York State Education Department (NYSED)

In 2017, schools have the option to administer Grades 3-8 ELA and Mathematics tests on paper or computer.

New York State Board Of Regents P-12 Committee Approves New P-12 Science Learning Standards.

NYSED updates procedures on the permissibility of the testing accommodation "tests read" for students with disabilities on the Grades 3-8 New York State English Language Arts Assessments (Grades 3-8 ELA Assessments).

FEEDBACK
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