Volume 21

January 2024

South County SELPA Insights is a monthly newsletter, brought to you by the South County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) team, full of special education information. This month we are discussing the importance of support groups and parent trainings. Keep reading to find resources and see how the SELPA can assist families to access resources.

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Benefits of support groups and training

As we continue to strive for an inclusive and supportive educational environment, it is crucial that we actively collaborate with families of children with special needs. Our collective efforts play a vital role in ensuring the success and well-being of every student.

To facilitate this collaboration, I would like to emphasize the importance of providing resources and guidance to families who have children with special needs. Here are some strategies to consider:

Create a Resource Hub:

Establish a dedicated section on the school website or through other communication channels where families can access relevant resources. Include information on special education programs, community support services, and educational materials that cater to various learning needs.

Host Information Sessions:

Organize periodic information sessions or workshops for parents and caregivers. These sessions could cover topics such as understanding Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), effective communication with educators, and accessing external support services. Encourage open dialogue and questions during these sessions.

Collaborate with Special Education Teams:

Work closely with special education teams to ensure that families receive personalized and targeted resources. Collaborative efforts between general education and special education can significantly enhance the overall support system.

To help you get started, we have compiled a list of recommended support groups and upcoming training opportunities to share with the families you support.

Resources

Autism Society San Diego

The Autism Society San Diego connects people to the resources they need through education, advocacy, support, information and referral, and community programming. To learn more about the organization and to find opportunities for you and your family visit the Autism Society of San Diego website.

Miracle League

The Miracle League of San Diego provides children and adults with special needs the opportunity to play baseball in an organized league. Registration for the spring season is now open for players, buddy players, and coaches. To learn more about the program, visit the Miracle League website.

TASK

TASK is an organization with a mission to educate and empower people with disabilities and their families. This organization provides many online trainings. View the calendar of events on its website.

Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for? (Audience) Why should they care? (Benefit) What do I want them to do here? (Call-to-Action)

Create a great offer by adding words like "free" "personalized" "complimentary" or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take an action, so think about inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining"!

Path-Now

Path-Now allows individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities or their care provider to create a free profile in the application and specify the types of service(s) needed and their provider preferences. The application then instantly matches them with organizations that align with their preferences. To learn more about the Path Now application visit the Path-Now website.

Chula Vista Parks & Recreation

Chula Vista Parks & Rec offers Therapeutic Recreation programming for adults 18+ individuals with developmental and/or physical disabilities and for children ages 17 and under.

To find out more about the classes offered and eligibility visit the Chula Vista Parks & Recreation website.

Exceptional Family Resource Center (EFRC)

EFRC is an organization that provides education, support, and information to families of children with disabilities and professionals who assist these families in San Diego. To learn more about their services visit the EFRC website.

SELPA Highlights

Equity, Disproportionality and Design (ED&D) & Alternative Dispute Resolution Team Up

ED&D Executive Consultant, Jennifer Gorospe Tull and Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator, Heidi Lyon teamed up to present at the Association of California School Administrators (ASCA) Every Child Counts conference. Over the upcoming months, SELPA staff will be presenting at several conferences, including the SDCOE Equity Conference, the California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators (CALSA), California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA), SELPA Administrators of California ADR Conference, CalECSE “Be the One” Symposium and SDCOE Early Years conference. Staff look forward to sharing their work and experiences and connecting with educators throughout the state.

Exciting news — ED&D is back in action not only recording their second season of podcasts but also posting new blogs on their website. Make sure to read their latest Blog, Highlighting Equity Leaders Through the ED&D Podcast Studio.

Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Meeting Recap

Thank you to all the parents and community members who attended our last CAC meeting. The Executive Director shared a brief overview of the SELPA and parents had the opportunity to discuss and share feedback about their request for CAC membership. The SELPA Coordinator briefly discussed the SELPA Local Plan and an informational session followed where we had representatives from the Sweetwater Union High School District talk about secondary school transitions. If you were unable to attend the presentation and would like to receive the PowerPoint for this workshop, please email scselpaadr@sdcoe.net. We would love to see you at our next CAC Informational Presentation on Feb. 1 at 10 a.m. South County SELPA staff will present on Managing Behaviors in the Home.

To learn more about our CAC please visit our website.

Image of participants and staff on zoom meeting

Winter Parent IEP Academy

Our Alternative Dispute Resolution team has a great opportunity for parents. In the Parent IEP Academy, parents/caregivers will explore an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and learn about each part of the document. Due to parent requests, this series of the IEP Parent Academy will take place in the evenings from 5 to 6 p.m. starting Jan. 17. Registration is still open, and we hope to see you there. To register click English or Spanish.

Upcoming Parent Events — Please Share

Jan. 17 to Feb. 21 — Parent IEP Academy Winter Series

Interested in increasing your understanding of the individualized education program (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 Thursdays on Zoom from 5 to 6 p.m.

Spanish Registration / English Registration

Feb. 1 — Community Advisory Committee Informational Presentation: Managing Behaviors in the Home

Join the CAC at the South County Regional Education Center (800 National City Blvd., National City, CA 91950) from 10 to 11 a.m. Free parking is available on the top floor of the parking structure.

Feb. 14 — Alternative Dispute Resolution Chat

Bring your questions to our team and join us virtually from 3 to 3:30 p.m. using the Zoom meeting ID: 851 2590 6937

March 7 — Community Advisory Committee Informational Presentation: Mental Health

Join the Community Advisory Committee at the South County Regional Education Center (800 National City Blvd., National City, CA 91950) from 10 to 11 a.m. Free parking is available on the top floor of the parking structure.

Upcoming Educator Events

Feb. 6 — The Missing Link: Leveraging SLP Expertise to Promote Literacy Development

Presenter: Elizabeth Berine

Presented in partnership with the Diagnostic Center at the South County Regional Education Center (800 National City Blvd., National City, CA 91950) from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Intended Audience: Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) and Speech-Language Pathology Assistants (SLPAs)

Registration

Feb. 8 — Supporting Language Throughout the School Day

Presenter: Elizabeth Berine

Presented in partnership with the Diagnostic Center at the South County Regional Education Center (800 National City Blvd., National City, CA 91950) from 8 a.m. to noon.

Intended Audience: Paraeducators, teachers, and support staff working with students with mild-moderate language difficulties.

Registration

Feb. 27 — Spring Principals Academy with Jonathan Read, Esq., F3 Law

Presenter: Jonathan Read, Esq.

Presented by F3 Law at the South County Regional Education Center (800 National City Blvd., National City, CA 91950) from 8 a.m. to noon.

Intended Audience: School Principals and Vice/Assistant Principals

Registration

Young student wearing a spacesuit and rocket helmet with floating art stars in the background

New Details Released!

The South County SELPA believes educators and students are "Out of This Galaxy!" and we want to showcase student art projects based on this theme. We hope you have begun planning your projects! Art submissions will be due by May 20, 2024.

16th Annual Art and Awards Recognition

South County Regional Education Center

Thursday, May 23, 2024

4:30 to 6 p.m.

Click here for full details and share this event.

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

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