Communication Connection

COMMUNICATION

CONNECTION

December 2021 | Issue 7 | Helping Families and Schools Since 1997

FREE Facilitated IEP Services

Don't spend your professional development dollars learning about facilitated IEPs! SEMS provides these services for FREE!

Did you know that one of the core components of the FREE Special Education Mediation Services (SEMS) program is Facilitated Meetings? Since 1997, SEMS has been helping Michigan's families and schools foster cooperation and effective teamwork in the planning of students' special education supports and services.

We help navigate these complex meetings by providing a FREE neutral facilitator whose role is to help team members stay on task, follow rules of conduct, ensure all voices are heard, help negotiate disagreements, and keep the meeting focused on the student.

When should you call us? Is there a complex issue? Are relationships strained? Do you need help focusing on student issues? Is there a disagreement? We support all special education meetings including but not limited to: IEP, IFSP, MDR, and if needed, a resolution session related to Due Process. Call us early, call us often! We're here to help!

FREE FAST EFFECTIVE

CALL 1-833-KIDS-1ST

Communication Tips

Ways to Build Trust

Trusting relationships between families and schools are a key factor in ensuring the success of students. But trust doesn't just happen, it is developed. Here are a few characteristics that help to build a trusting relationship.

Open - be vulnerable and share information
Benevolent - be well meaning and kind
Reliable - keep your word and follow through
Honest - be honest and truthful, even when hard
Competent - professionals are knowledgeable skilled, and able to perform expected duties.

To learn more about building trusting relationships, see the link below "To Trust or Not to Trust?"

COMMUNICATION RESOURCES

Dual Capacity Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships - Designed to support the development of family engagement strategies, policies, and programs.

To Trust or Not to Trust? A free webinar on understanding the science of developing and nurturing trust in family-professional partnerships.

Michigan State Complaints Procedures and Model Forms and Dispute Resolution Options Documents To provide clarity and transparency for all stakeholders, the Problem Solving Process guidance document was replaced in June 2021.

SEMS PRESENTS

Please join our sessions being presented in partnership with:

Michigan Alliance for Families

December 14: Counting the Days: Understanding Disciplinary Removals of Students with Disabilities, 12:00-1:00pm.

December 16: The Manifestation Determination Review: Navigating the Process with Special Education Mediation Services 12:00-1:00pm.

February 3: Collecting Academic and Behavior Data in the Home Environment, 12:00-1:00pm.

Covid-19 Policy

Special Education Mediation Services (SEMS) strives to serve all educators and parents with communication training and collaborative dispute resolution resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To get the most up to date information on our COVID-19 response policy visit https://www.mikids1st.org/notice or if you have questions about the policy please call 517-334-0034.

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