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Volume 16

August 2023

ADR Insights is a monthly newsletter, brought to you by South County SELPA's (Special Education Local Plan Area) ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) team, full of special education information. This month we're talking about attendance and how important your child's attendance is. Keep reading to learn more and hear about upcoming events and SELPA highlights.

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Every Day Counts!

Students and staff are getting back into their school routine, and we want to share the importance of being at school every day. Student attendance is a critical aspect of the educational process and plays a pivotal role in academic success, personal development, and overall school performance. Did you know that a student is considered chronically absent if they miss 10 or more school days in a school year? Did you also know that students with disabilities are more likely to be chronically absent? As parents, you play a critical role in your child's attendance. Listed below are some tips for parents to support daily, on-time attendance as well as some of the benefits of regular attendance.


Review school calendar: Plan vacations and annual appointments accordingly so your child does not miss a day of school. But, if you must go, ask the school about a short-term attendance contract.


Make school a positive experience: When speaking to your child about school, make it fun and positive so that your child wants to go to school.


Support system: Connect with friends/family to create a driver back up in case you are unable to pick up or drop off your child.


Build relationships: Research shows that building strong school-home relationships has a positive impact on school attendance.


Communicate with the school: Let the school know of any barriers to daily school attendance. The school may know about resources that can support you and your family, and assist in getting your child to school daily.


Here are some of the benefits of regular attendance:


Academic achievement: Regular attendance allows students to fully engage in the learning process. When students attend classes consistently, they have the opportunity to understand and absorb the material being taught.


Continuity of learning: Education is often structured in a progressive manner, with concepts building upon one another. Consistent attendance helps students stay on track and ensures they don't fall behind in their studies.


Classroom interaction and social skills: Regular attendance allows students to build relationships with their peers and teachers. Classroom interactions offer opportunities to develop essential social skills, such as communication, teamwork, and empathy.


Discipline and responsibility: Consistent attendance instills a sense of discipline and responsibility in students. By attending school regularly, students learn the importance of commitment, punctuality, and accountability — traits that are vital for success in both academic and professional endeavors.


Click for additional tips to encourage your child to attend school regularly.

Upcoming Events

Aug. 28 — Sensory Story Time at National City Library

An inclusive story time for children on the second and fourth Monday of the month at 11 a.m. See a full list of National City Library events here.


Aug. 19 The San Diego Union-Tribune Festival of Books

Get ready for a day of family fun at The San Diego Union-Tribune 7th Annual Festival of Books. Families can meet their favorite authors, enjoy games and activities, hear live music, and discover new stories. 

Learn more.


Aug. 22 — Coronado Ice Cream Social

Start the new school year off by getting to know your area military and civilian community resources while meeting other new families and school administrators. Event will be at the Coronado Unified School District office from 3 to 5 p.m.

Click for more information.


August Online Trainings

TASK helps families navigate special education, disability services and assistive technology. They provide families with emotional support, information, and direction. TASK is the Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) for San Diego County. They offer multiple workshops and support groups to help you navigate the challenges you face. Workshops are available in English or Spanish and are offered free of charge.

Click to register and learn about the events.


Sept. 9 — National School District Parent Summit

Parents and families come learn and participate in educational workshops.

Event will be at Las Palmas School at 1900 E. 18th Str. National City, CA 91950. Event will be from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 pm.

Aug. 15 to Sept. 12 — Parent IEP Academy

Interested in increasing your understanding of the IEP process? Do you want to feel confident that you have the necessary tools to fully participate in your child’s IEP? Register now for the Parent IEP Academy, which will meet Tuesdays on Zoom from noon to 1 p.m.


Spanish Registration / English Registration


Sept. 5 — Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Meeting: Internet Safety and Security

Learn how to keep your child safe while online. Join the CAC at the South County Regional Education Center (800 National City Blvd., National City, CA 91950) from 10 to 11 a.m.


Sept. 13 — ADR Lunch Chat

Bring your questions to our team and join us virtually from noon to 12:30 p.m. using the Zoom meeting ID: 851 2590 6937

SELPA Highlights

SELPA Resource Fair


Our Annual Special Education Resource Fair was a huge success with more than 30 local organizations and over 100 attendees. Families were able to connect with organizations and learn about services available to them. We are thankful for the generous donations from local organizations and our vendors who provided some wonderful prizes for our attendees. See our Instagram post for video and additional photos.

San Ysidro School District Resource Fair


Our ADR team participated in this fun-filled event. Our staff was able to connect with families and share services we offer. We loved meeting families and were thrilled to be a part of this wonderful annual event!

South Bay Union School District 100-Year Celebration


South Bay Union School District celebrated its 100th anniversary. The day began with a motivational keynote speaker followed by parent workshops. SELPA staff had a table in the vendor section and was able to connect with families.

Chula Vista Elementary School District Community Expo


Chula Vista Elementary School District hosted their annual Community Expo and SELPA staff was available to answer special education questions and share valuable parent/family resources. See our Instagram post for video and additional photos.

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If you have any questions or comments on the ADR Insights newsletter, please contact our team at scselpaadr@sdcoe.net.


Get up-to-the-minute information about what's happening at South County SELPA.

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